How Trump Becoming President influenced Music
“Fuck Donald Trump”
You can easily pinpoint when Donald Trump became president in the music industry because one he did so many artists decided to write about the current oppression and resistance to that and being publicly torn down by our own presidents and so many other people that have such power over our country. With everything going on during 2017, the riots, the deaths, the brutality, and the blame. So many things were being brought out into the light and as artists in this time some decided to speak up about in their music, their platform and where they convey their emotions. The change wasn’t in just rap music which someone would assume, with the media putting their eyes on Eminem and YG it was also in so many other genres. Billy Bragg rewrote Bob Dylan’s song ‘The Times They Are a-Changin” and adding the current turmoil by adding lyrics:
“ Come Mexicans, Muslims, LGBT, and Jews
Keep your eyes wde for what’s on the news
For President Trump is expressin his views
And I that the mob he’s inside in
We’ll break you window
Burn down your schools
For the times they are a-changin back”
Billy Bragg stated he wrote the lyrics directly after seeing Donald Trump’s inaugural speech that friday and performed it the same day.
Changes in what people write in their music are always very tied to what is going on in the world such as with the government and social problem. Everytime you see or hear something on the big news you can bet money that shortly after there will be song about it and even if it isn't on the news and it's still something serious and obviously needed to be discussed worldwide. Billboard wrote an article of how Trump’s Presidency could affect the popular music industry and they were correct! Eminem also released a song and music video about Trump during the BET Hip Hop Awards. The video was eminem freestyling for almost five whole minutes accusing Donald Trump of, racism, hypocrisy, and disrespecting military veterans. Some of his lyrics were:
“Racism's the only thing he's fantastic for
'Cause that's how he gets his fuckin' rocks off and he's orange
Yeah, sick tan
That's why he wants us to disband
'Cause he cannot withstand
The fact we're not afraid of Trump”
Every time Trump makes a racist or disrespectful post on twitter or says something on television there is a well deserved uproar because this man, Donald Trump, is supposedly the leader on of the most understanding country but he’s trying to chip off his predecessors work to make this country into something that feels somewhat safe to its people. Except now people are scared to leave their homes and go to school because this man is acting like a beacon to people who believe they are better due to their skin tones or what religion they practice. Every time he tweets or speaks out is giving the go ahead to this people who have been hiding. People want to be able to speak up about that and some have the platform to do so and that platform is music so they create and they write and think until they believe this could be something to help either to shed more light on the situation or to vent out anger or sadness or their worries. Trump has given people a reason to think again. To think about our futures and our current state in society.