Donald Trump in music
Donald Trump in music refers to songs, albums and bands that refer to Donald Trump and his various brands, including Trump Tower, his TV show, his hotel chain, and his casinos.[1] Though recent songs refer to Trump's campaign and subsequent election as president of the United States, more than 200 songs refer to Trump prior to his successful presidential race between 1989 and 2013.[2] With his win of the 2016 presidential bid, Trump's prominence in rap music has been liked to that of Ronald Reagan's in hardcore punk during the 1980s.[3]
Background
Hip hop
Trump's name first appeared in hip hop lyrics during the 1980s when the business mogul became an icon of the ultra rich. Among the earliest mentions of Donald Trump in rap lyrics was the Beastie Boys' 1989 track Johnny Ryall in which they pit Donald Trump alongside his homeless alter-ego, Donald Tramp.[2]
While many rappers praised Trump's wealth, usually comparing their own financial aspirations or success to that of the billionaire businessman, others have used their music as a platform to criticize Trump's practices and politics.[4] Among the earliest of these was The Coup from Oakland, California who critiqued and mocked Trump on their first two albums released in the early 1990s.[1]
ESPN's political site FiveThirtyEight documented that between 1989 and 2014, 19% of song lyrics about Trump were negative while 60% were positive. The 2010s marked a shift in hip hop musicians' attitude toward Trump as his presence in the public eye shifted from business tycoon to that of a politician making controversial statements against people of color, Latin American people, and Muslims. Because of hip hop's close association with these communities and its reinvigorated politicization with the Black Lives Matter movement, lyrical depictions of Trump rapidly grew to be more disparaging throughout his campaign and subsequent election as President of the United States.[1]
Many artists have name-checked Trump in more than one song. Pre-presidency, Rick Ross had the most Trump mentions (9 songs between 2008 and 2015) with Nas running second (7 songs between 1996 and 2012). Other major Trump name-checkers include Migos (6 songs between 2013 and 2016), Young Thug (6 songs between 2013 and 2015), Lil Wayne (5 songs between 2000 and 2012) and Raekwon (5 songs between 1995 and 2012).[1]
Mac Miller controversy
The numerous references to Trump in lyrics have not gone unnoticed by the billionaire. When Mac Miller's 2011 song "Donald Trump" became a Billboard hit, Trump released a YouTube video congratulating the rapper:
- A lot of people are calling me about the Mac Miller rap song. Now, it's named "Donald Trump." Maybe you should pay me a lot of money, but it just did over 20 million people, tuning into Mac Miller. So in one way, I'm proud of him. I haven't actually seen the language ... Probably, it's not the cleanest language you've ever heard ... But the "Donald Trump" song just hit over 20 million, that's not so bad. I'm very proud of him.[5]
As the song garnered more plays, Trump took a more aggressive tone and demanded royalties for using his name, thereby starting a feud with Miller.[6] In early 2013, Trump threatened the rapper via a series of exchanges on Twitter:
- Little @MacMiller, you illegally used my name for your song “Donald Trump” which now has over 75 million hits.
- I want the money not the plaque you gave me!
- I’m now going to teach you a big boy lesson about lawsuits and finance. You ungrateful dog!
- I have more hair than you do and there’s a slight age difference.[7]
In 2015 Trump changed his attitude toward Miller again when he ended an interview with The Hill by praising Miller's song as it approached 100 million hits.[8]
Other styles of music
Outside of hip hop, most lyrical references to Trump have appeared in songs ranging from satires of the billionaire, to outright protest in varying degrees of explicitness. One of the earliest Trump send-ups was the 1990 ballad "Donald Trump (Black Version)" written by Prince for fellow Minneapolis act The Time in which singer Morris Day calls himself a black version of Donald Trump, who can use his riches to "fulfill [a woman's] every wish, [and her] every dream".[9] In 1992 Irish folk-rock group Goats Don't Shave had a #4 hit with "Las Vegas in the Hills of Donegal," which references Trump's casino business in imagining an Irish county that becomes a gambling Mecca.[10]
More recently, songs like "Fergus Laing" by Scottish folk singer Richard Thompson present thinly veiled references to Trump without mentioning him by name, while songs like "Fucked Up Donald" by Canadian punk band D.O.A. are more direct. Many songs attack Trump by mocking his supporters through stereotypical portrayals of their views and lifestyles. Phoenix-based comedian Brian Nissen comedian stars as "Mullets Over America" spokesman Dwain in the music video "Make America Great Again", while Rocky Mountain Mike's cover of "Mr. Tangerine Man" remakes the lyrics to be about Trump, with the song's title alluding to the color of his skin. Sung from the perspective of a xenophobic Trump supporter, the song opens:
- Hey Mr. Tangerine Man, build a wall for me
- I'm not that bright and don't know that you're not going to
- Hey Mr. Tangerine Man, keep Muslims away from me
- With my jingoistic worldview, I'll come following you.[11]
In October of 2016, author Dave Eggers launched a project slated to release one anti-Trump song each day leading up to 2016's election day. Originally called 30 Songs, 30 Days, Eggers' plan was to have each song performed by a different artist, but due to more musicians coming through with songs, it grew to be 40, and then 50 songs in 30 days.[12][13] Eggers worked on the project with Jordan Kurland with whome he had previously worked on two similar election-related projects.[14][15][16] Eggers' inspiration for the project came when attending a Trump rally in Sacramento earlier that year.[17] Participating artists included Death Cab for Cutie, Aimee Mann, Bhi Bhiman, Jim James, Franz Ferdinand, Josh Ritter, Thao Nguyen, EL VY, R.E.M., Adia Victoria, Moby, Lila Downs, Mac McCaughan, Tim Bluhm, Vinnie Paz, Jesu, Sun Kil Moon, Filthy Friends, Radioinactive, Sheila Brody, Ani DiFranco, Andrew Bird, Mirah, clipping., Sam Cohen, Blake Hazard, Wesley Stace, Loudon Wainwright III, Cold War Kids, Reggie Watts, Mission of Burma, Bob Mould, Ryan Miller, The Long Winters, Open Mike Eagle, Jimmy Eat World, Kyle Craft, Local Natives, Anthony D'Amato, Greg Holden, Laura Gibson, Tim Heidecker, Modern Baseball, Joe Purdy, Rogue Wave and more.[18]
Songs that mention Donald Trump
1980s
- "Johnny Ryall" by Beastie Boys (1989): "Donald Trump and Donald Tramp living in the men's Shelter" [2]
- "My Word Is Bond" by Donald D (1989): “And after that me and Donald Trump hung out / Donald talkin' 'bout Donald Trump,' man, y'all is crazy.” [1]
1990s
- "Donald Trump (Black Version)" by The Time (1990): "Donald Trump (black version), come on take a chance / A 1990s love affair, the real romance."[9]
- "I Gotta Say What Up" by Ice Cube (1990): "I gotta say what's up to Digital Underground and Humpty Hump / Cause he makin' more than Donald Trump, you know what I'm sayin', yo."[19]
- "Skin Trade" by Nice (1990): "I'm not rich like Donald Trump"[1]
- “Skypager" by A Tribe Called Quest (1991): "Beeper's goin off like Don Trump gets checks”[1]
- "Money and the Power" by Scarface (1991): "Rolling hard, stackin paper like Trump"[2]
- "Pocket Full of Stones" by UGK (1992): "Call me Black Trump"[2]
- "Da Funk" by Redman (1992): "I'm back with the funk, chump/You want funk, how many lumps?/I got spunk/I'm well known like Donald Trump." [19]
- "Las Vegas in the Hills of Donegal" by Goats Don't Shave (1992): "Inishowen could then be known for it's multimillionaires / Where Donald Trump would like a chunk to live in solitaire"[10]
- "Smart Like Einstein" by Little Charlie and the Nightcats (1993): "I was smart like Einstein, rich like Donald Trump".[20]
- The Coup's eponymous song from their debut album Kill My Landlord (1993): "Break yourself Bush, it's collection day / Break yourself Trump, it's collection day / Break yourself DuPont, it's collection day / You stole the shit from my great granddaddy anyway."[1]
- "Pimps (Free Stylin at the Fortune 500 Club)" by The Coup (1994): "Trump Trump check out the cash in my trunk/I am Donald Trump me think you mighta heard about me/How me last wife Ivana come and catch me money."
- "211" by Master P (1994): "Put more cash in my pockets than Donald Trump"[2]
- "Incarcerated Scarfaces" by Raekwon (1995): "But yo, guess who's the black Trump?"[19]
- "Money Talks" by Double X Posse (1995): "A bank account so fat that Donald Trump would wanna be me"[1]
- "Paid" by Kid Rock (1996): "I'd still be in the house getting paid like Trump"[1]
- "Three Strikes You In" by Ice Cube (1998): "I'm just tryin' to get rich like Trump" [2]
- "Mafioso" by Kool G Rap (1998): "Can't stop until I got a casa up in Trump plaza"[2]
- "Trump Change" by E-40 (1998): "Trump change, I'm talking Donald Trump change / I'm talking Steve Wynn, I'm talking you know? E-Feezee"[2]
- "Tru Master" by Pete Rock (1998): "In hot pursuit of Donald Trump rap loot"[2]
- "Money Is My Bitch" by Nas (1999): "The best couple they seen since Trump and Marla Maples."[2]
- "Speed Law" by Mos Def (1999): “Rocked the Trump Tower to the terrordome”[1]
- "muzzle Toe" by Wu-Syndicate (1999): “It's reg or not, pockets love Trump Donald” [1]
2000s
- "Country Grammar (Hot Shit)" by Nelly (2000): "Bill Gates, Donald Trump let me in now / Spin now, I got money to lend my friends now."[19]
- "Bad Boyz" by Shyne (2000): "What type of nigga stay in the Trump for weeks? (Bad Boyz)"[2]
- "Can I Live" by Cypress Hill (2001): "We tryna get money so we can be livin' like Trump"[19]
- "Hip Hop Quotables" by Ludacris (2003): "I buy cars with straight cash, have meetings with Donald Trump." [19]
- "What More Can I Say" by Jay Z (2003): "I'm at the Trump International: ask for me I ain't never scared" [2]
- "Thug Motivation 101" by Jeezy (2005): "I'm Donald Trump in a white tee and white 1's"[2]
- "Shut Up Bitch" by Lil Kim (2005): "I'm in the Trump International, 30 floors up (so high)"[2]
- "Jealousy" by Fat Joe (2006): "We fuckin with Donald Trump now." [2]
- "American Wedding" by Gogol Bordello (2007): "So be you Donald Trump / Or be an anarchist / Make sure that your wedding / Doesn't end up like this"
- "The Format" by AZ (2006):"From Bed-Stuy to the East, I'm too at peace to lose it / But love it, I still does it, breathing off a Trump budget"[19]
- "We Gon’ Make It" by Diddy (2006): "I spend absurd money, private bird money/That Bill Gates, Donald Trump, Bloomberg money."[2][4]
- "Mo Cars, Mo Hoes" by Fabolous (2008): "They know I'm hood rich, Donald Trump of the pumpers" [2]
- Rick Ross "This is the Life" (2008): "I'm in Trump Towers, amongst earners"[2]
- "Determined" by Kendrick Lamar (2009): "Homies on the block can say whatever they want/ I don’t wanna be a dealer, I wanna be a Trump— Donald that is."
- "F.U.$" by Danger Danger (2009): "I wanna be a famous jet set billionaire/Just like Donald Trump, with better hair!"
- "Donald Trump's Hair" (2009) by Kacey Jones[21]
2010–2014
- "So Appalled" by Kanye West (2010): "Balding Donald Trump taking dollars from y'all"[19]
- "Get It" by Big Sean and Pharrell (2010): "I'm tryna stuff em until I can't fit no moreI'm talking Donald Trump level"[2]
- "Donald Trump" by Mac Miller (2011)[4]
- "Trump" by Young Jeezy (2011): "Call me Donald Trump/ The type that count my money while I smoke a blunt."[22]
- "Racks on Racks" by Lil Wayne (2011): "Get money like Donald Trump."[4]
- "I Need Dollas" by T.I. (2012): "Used to want dough like Jay-Z, but now I’m thinking Donald Trump."[4]
- "Loco-Motive" by Naz (2012): "I started out broke, got rich, lost paper then made it back / Like Trump bein' up down up, play with cash"[19]
- "Ball" by Lil Wayne and T.I. (2012): "I'ma fire my blunt like Donald Trump"[2]
- "Google That" by Raekwon (2012): "Black Trump...with fat pockets" [2]
- "Pirates" by Rick Ross (2012): "Resurrection of the real, time to get the richer than Trump" [2]
- "I Wanna Be With You" by Nicki Minaj with DJ Khaled (2013): "At the Trump, and you bitches at the Radisson" [2]
- "Karate Chop" by Shaquille O'Neal (2013): "You ain't got enough, better get a loan from Mr. Bill Gates / And Donald Trump and Carlos Slim."[19]
- "Donald Trump Walk" by Jerry James (2013):[23]
- "Off the Corner" by Meek Mill (2014): "Going Donald Trump numbers on the corner/I made a million on that corner."[4][2]
- "Donald Trump" by Young Thug (2014): "Donald Trump, I made / Forbes list this month!"[2]
2015–2016, during Trump's presidential race and election
- "Up Like Trump" by Rae Sremmurd (2015): "Forbes list, Forbes/ Read it like the bible/ Up like Donald Trump."[4]
- "Black Friday" by Kendrick Lamar (2015): "I’m the son of the pioneer that got you near the sun / Play with him, bitch you better off voting for Donald Trump."[19]
- "El Chapo" by The Game (2015): "This is goons day, I can have Guadalupe / Come through and knock Donald Trump out his tupee"[19]
- "Fergus Laing" by Richard Thompson (2015): "Fergus Laing he flaunts the law / But one day he’ll be wired / And as they drag him off to jail / We’ll all shout, "You’re fired!"
- "Free Enterprises" by Rick Ross (2015): "Assassinate Trump like I'm Zimmerman"[2]
- "Bad Boy on Death Row" by Dave East (2016): "Donald Trump ain't safe on my block, gotcha your wifey at IHOP"[2]
- "Mr. Tangerine Man" by Rocky Mountain Mike (2016)[11]
- "Nobody Speak" by El-P (2016): "Flame your crew quicker than Trump fucks his youngest" [2]
- "FDT" YG & Nipsey Hussle (2016): "Fuck Donald Trump"[2]
- "FDT Pt. 2" by G-Eazy (2016): "A Trump rally sounds like Hitler in Berlin or KKK shit, now I'm goin' in[2]
- "Fucked Up Donald" by Canadian punk band D.O.A. (2016), based off their 1980s song "Fucked Up Ronnie.[24]
- "Black Barbies" by Nicki Minaj (2016): "Island girl, Donald Trump want me go home"
30 Days, 50 Songs project
Released daily between October 10 and November 8, 2016 by Dave Eggers and Jordan Kurland:
- "Million Dollar Loan" by Death Cab for Cutie
- "Can't You Tell" by Aimee Mann
- "With Love from Russia" by Bhi Bhiman
- "Same Old Lie" by Jim James
- "Demagogue" by Franz Ferdinand
- "The Temptation of Adam" (Live Version) by Josh Ritter (the original version of this song appeared on his 2007 album The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter)
- "Before You Vote" by Thao Nguyen
- "Are These My Jets" by EL VY
- "World Leader Pretend" (Live Version) by R.E.M. (the original version of this song appeared on the 1988 album Green)
- "DonaldTrumpMakesMeWannaSmokeCrack" by Ledinsky
- "Backwards Blues" by Adia Victoria
- "Trump Is on Your Side" by Moby and the Homeland Choir
- "Little Failure" by Moby and the Void Pacific Choir
- "The Demagogue" by Lila Downs
- "Old Man Trump" by U.S. Elevator (featuring Mac McCaughan and Tim Bluhm)
- "Writings on Disobedience and Democracy" by Vinnie Paz
- "The Greatest Conversation Ever in the History of the Universe" by Jesu/Sun Kil Moon
- "Despierta" by Filthy Friends
- "Natural Born Loser" by Radioinactive (featuring Sheila Brody)
- "Makin' It Great Again.!" by Andrew St. James
- "Play God [live]" by Ani DiFranco
- "Young, Latin and Proud" by Helado Negro
- "Sic of Elephants [live]" by Andrew Bird (featuring Jim James)
- "No Guns No Guns" by Mirah
- "Fat Fingers" by clipping.
- "Clockwork" by Sam Cohen
- "Little Situation" by Blake Hazard
- "Mr. Tangerine Man [live]" by Wesley Stace
- "I Had a Dream [live]" by Loudon Wainwright III
- "Locker Room Talk" by Cold War Kids
- "Trumpy Trump" by The Cooties (featuring Reggie Watts)
- "Panic Is No Option [live]" by Mission of Burma
- "In a Free Land [live]" by Bob Mould
- "The Clown" by Ryan Miller
- "I Might Vote 4 Donald Trump" by JPEGMAFIA (featuring Freaky)
- "Make America Great Again" by The Long Winters
- "How to Be Super Petty to Your Ex" by Open Mike Eagle
- "My Enemy" by Jimmy Eat World
- "Before the Wall" by Kyle Craft
- "Fountain of Youth [live]" by Local Natives
- "If You're Gonna Build a Wall" by Anthony D'Amato
- "Exactly Like You" by Greg Holden
- "And Where Were You?" by Laura Gibson and Dave Depper
- "Alexander" by I Said Yes
- "Trump's Pilot" by Tim Heidecker
- "Bart to the Future Part 2: The Musical" by Modern Baseball
- "Maybe We'll All Get Along Someday" by Joe Purdy
- "What a Beautiful Morning!" by Drunken Logic
- "DT Blues" by Agents of the Fantastic
- "Vote for Me Dummy (Guided by Voices cover)" by Rogue Wave
See also
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 McCann, Allison (July 24, 2016). "Hip-Hop Is Turning On Donald Trump". FiveThirtyEight. ESPN. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Bristout, Ralph (Nov 2, 2016). "38 rap references that display Donald Trump's fall from hip-hop grace". Revolt TV. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
- ↑ Barshad, Amos (April 6, 2016). "The Joy Of "Fuck Trump": YG and some goofy kids from Baltimore have the Trump catharsis you need.". The Fader. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Finley, Taryn (August 20, 2015). "67 Times Rappers Name Dropped 'Donald Trump'". Huffington Post. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
- ↑ Zaru, Deena (Sep 2, 2015). "What hip-hop lyrics tell us about Donald Trump". Cable News Network. CNN. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
- ↑ Makarechi, Kia (January 25, 2016). "Mac Miller, Donald Trump's Least Favorite Rapper, Revisits Feud". Vanity Fair. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
- ↑ Trump, Donald (Jan 31, 2015). "@MacMiller". Twitter. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
- ↑ Cirilli, Kevin (July 23, 2015). "Trump praises rapper's 'great' song about him". The Hill. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
- 1 2 Jackson, Lucas (April 22, 2016). "Prince once wrote a song called "Donald Trump (Black Version)"". CBS. CBS News. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
- 1 2 "Las Vegan in the Hills of Donegal". We Love Donegal. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- 1 2 Hemann, Andy (June 21, 2016). "The 10 Best Trump Parodies and Protest Songs". L.A. Weekly. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
- ↑ Kornhaber, Spencer (12 October 2016). "Donald Trump Is Terrific Protest-Music Inspiration". The Atlantic. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
- ↑ "About 30 Days, 30 Songs". 30 Days, 40 Songs. Artists for a Trump-free America. Retrieved 2016-11-01.
- ↑ Kurland, Jordan. "30 Days, 30 Songs: Masthead". 30 Days, 40 Songs. Retrieved 2016-11-01.
- ↑ "Zeitgeist Artist Management". zeitgeistmanagement.com. Retrieved 2016-11-01.
- ↑ Cillizza, Chris (13 October 2016). "Famous musicians are writing 30 anti-Trump songs for the final 30 days of the election". Washington Post. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
- ↑ Goodman, Jessica (11 October 2016). "Inside the making of Dave Eggers' anti-Trump music project, 30 Days, 30 Songs". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
- ↑ "30 Days, 30 Songs". 30 Days, 30 Songs. Retrieved 2016-11-26.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Smith, Troy L (March 23, 2016). "23 Rap Songs that Reference Donald Trump and Hilary Clinton". cleveland.com. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
- ↑ Ruggiero, Bob (July 6, 2016). "Rick Estrin's Blues Cruise of Hohners, Humor and Hotties". Houston Press. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
- ↑ "Donald Trump's Hair - Kacey Jones | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-11-25.
- ↑ "Donald Trump Lyrics in Popular Songs". AWM. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UovoVTKzg7M
- ↑ Bickel, Christopher (April 29, 2016). "'F*cked Up Donald": Punk Legends D.O.A. Eviscerate Donald Trump". Dangerous Minds. Retrieved 13 November 2016.