‘The vibe shift is real’: Elon Musk’s X post about Snoop Dogg says it all
Snoop Dogg’s unexpected decision to hit the stage at a Donald Trump event could be a sign of things to come, an expert has said.
Snoop Dogg’s unexpected decision to hit the stage at a Donald Trump event left fans enraged on Monday, labelling him a “sell out” and the performance “embarrassing”.
But the beloved US rapper’s pre-inauguration Crypto Ball set could be a sign that, at least where celebrity attitudes toward Mr Trump – who is hours away from being sworn in as president – are concerned, the tide has turned.
In the past, the 53-year-old has not made a secret of his disdain for the President-elect.
In the 2017 music video for his song Lavender, Snoop could be seen pointing a prop gun at a Mr Trump lookalike, dressed as a clown. Mr Trump condemned Snoop for the imagery at the time, taking to X and writing, “Can you imagine what the outcry would be if @SnoopDogg, failing career and all, had aimed and fired the gun at President Obama? Jail time!”
MORE: Snoop Dogg’s bizarre act over biological dad
Elsewhere, the rapper hit out at artists who were planning to sing at Mr Trump’s inauguration in a clip posted on his social media account in 2017, labelling potential performers as “jigaboo a** n****s.”
Perhaps Mr Trump’s newfound right-hand man, Elon Musk, summarised Snoop’s radical political U-turn best, writing on X: “The vibe shift is real.”
‘Humbled to answer the call’
Unlike in 2017 – when organisers were left “scrambling” for inauguration headliners – there are early signs celebrities could warm to Mr Trump this time around.
Speaking to The Hill, Montclair State University associate professor Joel Penney said that appearing with Mr Trump no longer carries the stigma it once did.
“(Celebrity performers) are in the business of selling their public image, and they have to be very aware of their audience,” Mr Penney, who is the author of Pop Culture, Politics, and the News: Entertainment Journalism in the Polarised Media Landscape, said.
“If they are going to associate at all with politics, how’s that going to affect their bottom line?
“Everything now is in this frame of … hyper partisanship, polarisation, culture war. And so any artist who shows up … and stands next to Trump is going to be widely perceived as (a supporter).”
Last week, country star Carrie Underwood cemented herself as one of the most mainstream celebrities to hitch her wagon to the President-elect’s, with the announcement she will perform America the Beautiful at tomorrow’s ceremony.
“I love our country and I am honoured to have been asked to sing at the Inauguration and to be a small part of this historic event,” Underwood said in a statement.
“I am humbled to answer the call at a time when we must all come together in the spirit of unity and looking to the future.”
It’s the most telling sign yet of the singer’s feelings about Mr Trump; speaking to The Guardian in 2019 during his first term, Underwood lamented those who “try to pin me places politically”.
“I try to stay far out of politics if possible, at least in public, because nobody wins,” she said at the time.
Defending his own controversial decision to perform at this week’s Liberty Ball, rapper Nelly argued it was not a reflection of his political allegiances or monetary gain.
“I’m doing this ’cause it’s an honour. I respect the office,” he said in a live conversation with fellow rapper, Willie D.
“It don’t matter who is in office. The same way that our men and women, our brothers and sisters who protect this country, have to go to war and have to put their life on the line for whoever (is) in office.
“So, if they can put their life on the line for whoever (is) in office, I can damn sure perform for whoever (is) in office.”
He continued: “If President Biden would’ve asked me to perform, I would’ve performed. If Vice President Kamala Harris would’ve won and asked me to perform, I would’ve performed.”
Perhaps the most significant about-face came in the form of the Village People – whose hit songs YMCA and Macho Man have been staple hits at Mr Trump’s rallies since his first presidential run.
Less than two years ago, the group’s lead singer condemned Mr Trump’s use of YMCA, which has long been perceived as a gay anthem.
Come Sunday night, however, there the Village People were, on stage at Mr Trump’s Capitol One Arena victory rally.
“We know this won’t make some of you happy to hear, however we believe that music is to be performed without regard to politics,” the band said in a post on its Facebook page.
“Our song YMCA is a global anthem that hopefully helps bring the country together after a tumultuous and divided campaign where our preferred candidate lost.”
Other artists expected to play for Mr Trump include Kid Rock, Billy Ray Cyrus and Lee Greenwood. The latter singer defended Underwood against critics in an interview with Fox News Digital, telling “those people who have something negative to say …(to) keep it to yourself”.
“Don’t attack a friend of mine who is here for the same reason as I am to inaugurate the 47th president of the United States,” he said.
It isn’t just A-listers who’ve changed their tune where Mr Trump is concerned.
JD Vance’s political transformation raised questions last year when he was announced as Mr Trump’s running mate, given the Vice President-elect and formerly self-described “never-Trumper” had described him, among other things, as a “morally reprehensible human being”, “America’s Hitler”, “cultural heroin”, “a disaster” and “a bad man”.
“The more white people feel like voting for Trump, the more Black people will suffer,” Mr Vance wrote in a 2016 email to a friend, published by The New York Times.
“I really believe that.”
‘Unstoppable’: Trump slaps down Canada
Donald Trump is now cooking with gas as he fires up his first major tariffs on the three largest US trading partners.
‘So aroused’: Trump’s enemies get weird
A weird remark from one of Donald Trump’s top remaining opponents has hinted at a rot inside the Democratic Party.
‘Going swimming’: Trump’s joke after crash
US President Donald Trump has made a controversial joke following the deadly air crash in DC.