Multiple songs, albums, bands and performances have referencedDonald Trump or his various brands, includingTrump Tower, his TV show, his hotel chain, and his casinos.[1] While recent songs refer to Trump's campaign, election, and tenure asPresident of the United States, more than 200 songs refer to Trump prior to his campaigns for president.[2] Most earlier references to Trump in lyrics revolve around his status as a business tycoon, but then shifted toward a stance more critical of his politics as he attempted to attain public office. With his victory in the2016 presidential election, Trump's prominence in hip-hop music has been likened to that ofRonald Reagan's inhardcore punk during the 1980s.[3]
Trump's name first appeared inhip hop lyrics during the 1980s when he became an icon of the ultra rich. Among the earliest mentions of Trump in rap lyrics was theBeastie Boys' track "Johnny Ryall" on the 1989 albumPaul's Boutique, in which they contrast Trump with his homelessalter-ego, Donald Tramp.[2]
While many rappers early to this trend praised Trump's wealth, often as a means to compare their own financial aspirations or success to his, others used their music as a platform to criticize Trump's practices and politics.[4] Among the earliest of these wasThe Coup fromOakland, California, who critiqued and mocked Trump on their first two albums released in the early 1990s.[1]
ESPN's political siteFiveThirtyEight documented that between 1989 and 2014, 19% of song lyrics about Trump were negative while 60% were positive. The 2010s marked a left-leaning political shift in musicians' attitude toward Trump as his presence in the public eye changed from that of a business tycoon to a politician, particularly one known for making controversial statements. Because of hip hop's close association with minority communities and its reinvigorated politicization with theBlack 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 (nine songs between 2008 and 2015) withNas running second (seven songs between 1996 and 2012). Other major Trump name-checkers includeMigos (six songs between 2013 and 2016),Young Thug (six songs between 2013 and 2015),Lil Wayne (five songs between 2000 and 2012) andRaekwon (five songs between 1995 and 2012).[1]
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 demandedroyalties for using his name, thereby starting a feud with Miller.[6] In early 2013, Trump taunted and threatened legal action against the rapper via a series of exchanges onTwitter. By 2015, Trump changed his attitude toward Miller again when he ended an interview withThe Hill by praising Miller's song as it approached 100 million hits.[7] Miller later appeared onThe Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore to denounce Trump forhis racial views during his run for president in 2016.[8]
In 2004, Trump endorsedEminem in a mock presidential national convention to promote satellite radio stationShade 45.[9] On October 10, 2017, Eminem performed afreestyle rap titled "The Storm" at the 2017BET Hip Hop Awards, criticizing President Trump.[10] The freestyle wentviral, garnering millions of views and hundreds of thousands of likes onYouTube within weeks.[11]Eminem'sRevival has many lines critiquing Trump's presidential campaign and election, calling him a racist, aNazi, andAdolf Hitler – among other incendiary insults[12] and a fantasy in which the rapper is "framed" for murderingIvanka Trump.[13][14] He also raps about his regret at having collaborated with Trump in his promotion for Shade 45.[9][12]
On "The Ringer" from his 2018 albumKamikaze, Eminem apologizes for alienating fans who supported Trump, and says that he was questioned by theU.S. Secret Service for his seemingly threatening lyrics.[15] This ledBuzzFeed to file aFreedom of Information Act request with the Secret Service to find out if the claim was true. In October 2019, the agency revealed that, in response to an email from aTMZ employee pressing the agency to investigate Eminem for his "threatening lyrics" about Ivanka Trump, they had conducted abackground check and arranged an interview, in which the interviewers read the verse out loud to Eminem – and he rapped along. The agency subsequently decided against referring the case to a federal prosecutor.[16]
Outside of hip hop, most lyrical references to Trump have appeared in songs ranging fromsatires 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 byPrince for fellowMinneapolis actthe Time in which singerMorris 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".[17] In 1992, Irishfolk-rock groupGoats Don't Shave had a #4 hit with "Las Vegas in the Hills of Donegal," which references Trump'scasino business in imaginingan Irish county that becomes agambling mecca.[18]
More recently, songs like "Fergus Laing" by English folk singerRichard Thompson present thinly veiled references to Trump without mentioning him by name, while songs like "Fucked Up Donald" by Canadian punk bandD.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. Tambourine 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 axenophobic 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 toHey Mr. Tangerine Man, keepMuslims away from me
With myjingoistic worldview, I'll come following you.[19]
In June 2017, Compound Sound LLC releasedTrumped Music, a 32-minute album of eight songs which arefair use parodies of famous hit songs throughout the years. These songs are sung by impressionist Christopher John as "Donald Trump", with several tracks also featuring impressionist Andrew Harris as "Vladimir Putin".[27]
In 2023Sparks bassistMartin Gordon treated the transcript of Trump's phone call to Georgia secretary of StateBrad Raffensperger as input for a 31-song collection entitled 'Another Words', and in April 2024 delivered apaper at the University of Art, Zurich, Switzerland (Hochschule der Kunste) on using inherent rhythmic structures found in Trump's extemporised speeches as the basis for a basis for developing asymmetric heterometric temporal structures in music composition.
"I Gotta Say What Up" byIce Cube (1990): "I gotta say what's up toDigital Underground andHumpty Hump / Cause he makin' more than Donald Trump, you know what I'm sayin', yo"[34]
"Skin Trade" by Nice (1990): "I'm not rich like Donald Trump"[1]
"Get Dumb! (Free Your Body)" by The Crew featuringFreedom Williams (1990): "I'm donaldtrumpin' gettin' paid buildin' somethin'"
"Panhandlin' Prince" byUgly Kid Joe (1992): "Mr. Trump, can I ask you a question, you got some spare some change for me, sucka?"
"Pocket Full of Stones" byUGK (1992): "Call me Black Trump"[2]
"Da Funk" byRedman (1992): "I'm back with the funk, chump / You want funk, how many lumps? / I got spunk / I'm well known like Donald Trump"[36]
"Jussummen" byDas EFX (1992): "I'm quick to break a slut like Donald Trump can break a million / Or zillion, I kills 'em, I watches all My Children"[34]
"Smart Like Einstein" by Little Charlie and the Nightcats (1993): "I was smart like Einstein, rich like Donald Trump".[37]
The Coup's eponymous song from their debut albumKill My Landlord (1993): "Break yourselfBush, it's collection day / Break yourself Trump, it's collection day / Break yourselfDuPont, it's collection day / You stole the shit from my great granddaddy anyway"[1]
"Pimps (Free Stylin at the Fortune 500 Club)" byThe 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 wifeIvana come and catch me money"[citation needed]
"211" byMaster P (1994): "Put more cash in my pockets than Donald Trump"[2]
"Incarcerated Scarfaces" byRaekwon (1995): "But yo, guess who's the black Trump?"[34]
"Protect Ya Neck II The Zoo" byOl' Dirty Bastard (1995): "Warning you chump, brain is out for lunch/Given the power punch, soon to be paid like Donald Trump"[citation needed]
"Money Talks" byDouble X Posse (1995): "A bank account so fat that Donald Trump would wanna be me"[1]
"Paid" byKid Rock (1996): "I'd still be in the house getting paid like Trump"[1]
"Three Strikes You In" byIce Cube (1998): "I'm just tryin' to get rich like Trump"[2]
"Mafioso" byKool G Rap (1998): "Can't stop until I got a casa up in Trump plaza"[2]
"Trump Change" byE-40 (1998): "Trump change, I'm talking Donald Trump change / I'm talkingSteve Wynn, I'm talking you know? E-Feezee"[2]
"Tru Master" byPete Rock (1998): "In hot pursuit of Donald Trump rap loot"[2]
"Get Back" byZebrahead (1998): "Got to get the dough like my man Donald Trump"
Paper Bag Thoughts" byDJ Clue? featuringRaekwon (1998): "Hear me yo; wild Trump style."[38]
"Money Is My Bitch" byNas (1999): "The best couple they seen since Trump andMarla Maples"[2]
"Speed Law" byMos Def (1999): "Rocked the Trump Tower to the terrordome"[1]
"Muzzle Toe" byWu-Syndicate (1999): "It's reg or not, pockets love Trump Donald"[1]
"Hova Interlude" byJay-Z (1999): "Well, I'm the ghetto's answer to Trump"[39]
"Stuntin In My Car" byDITCH (2009): "Spending mad money they call me Trump, poppin off shots with my hand on the pump"
"Love on Haight Street" byBT withRasco and Fifty Grand (2000): "Took me twelve months to stack money in lumps / Far from livin' foul but further from Don Trump"[40]
"Country Grammar (Hot Shit)" byNelly (2000): "Let me in, now / Let me in now / Bill Gates, Donald Trump let me in now / Spin now, I got money to lend my friends now"[34]
"Bad Boyz" byShyne (2000): "What type of nigga stay in the Trump for weeks? (Bad Boyz)"[2]
"Can I Live" byCypress Hill (2001): "We tryna get money so we can be livin' like Trump"[34]
"Get Paid" by Styles P. (2001): "Tryin' to see my sh*t in the Forbes; Trump tower for 'self." – Styles P, 2001, A Gentleman and a Gangster.[41]
"Hip Hop Quotables" byLudacris (2003): "I buy cars with straight cash, have meetings with Donald Trump"[34]
"What More Can I Say" byJay Z (2003): "I'm at the Trump International: ask for me I ain't never scared"[2]
"Playas Only" byR. Kelly (2005): "Bet she ain't never seen a penthouse at the Trump / Me and are been around the world and we'll give it to you just how you like it girl" Google Play. Retrieved February 16, 2017[42]
"Thug Motivation 101" byJeezy (2005): "I'm Donald Trump in a white tee and white 1's"[2]
"The Format" byAZ (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"[34]
"We Gon' Make It" byDiddy (2006): "I spend absurd money, private bird money/ThatBill Gates, Donald Trump,Bloomberg money"[2][4]
"Free Radicals" byThe Flaming Lips (2006): "You're turning into / A poor man's Donald Trump / I know those circumstances make you wanna jump"[citation needed]
"Midgets and Giants" bySage Francis (2007): "Fuck an apprentice, I got more firepower than Donald Trump!"[citation needed]
"Karate Chop" byShaquille O'Neal (2013): "You ain't got enough, better get a loan from Mr. Bill Gates / And Donald Trump andCarlos Slim"[34]
"Loaded" byYoung Thug (2013): "Plottin' on Donald Trump!"[51]
"Donald Trump Walk" by Jerry James (2013): "I'mma make them bottles pop / Donald Trump talk"[52]
"Off the Corner" byMeek Mill (2014): "Going Donald Trump numbers on the corner/I made a million on that corner"[2][4]
"***Flawless Remix" byBeyoncé feat.Nicki Minaj (2014): "He want 'Monster Nicki' in Sri Lanka I told him, 'Meet me at the Trump, Ivanka'"[citation needed]
"Donald Trump" by Young Thug (2014): "Donald Trump, I made / Forbes list this month!"[2]
"What We Doing" byFat Trel (2014): "What we countin'? (hundred thousands) / Where we at? (Trump Towers)"[53]
"Up Like Trump" byRae Sremmurd (2015): "Forbes list, Forbes / Read it like theBible / Up like Donald Trump"[4]
2015–2016, during Trump's presidential race and election
"Black Friday" byKendrick 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"[34]
"El Chapo" by The Game (2015): "This is goons day, I can have Guadalupe / Come through and knock Donald Trump out his toupee"[34]
"FDT" YG & Nipsey Hussle (2016): "Fuck Donald Trump"[2]
"FDT Pt. 2" byG-Eazy (2016): "A Trump rally sounds likeHitler inBerlin orKKK shit, now I'm goin' in"[2]
"Free Steven Avery (Wrong America)" (2016) byCabbage: "Death to Donald Trump/ Death to Donald Trump/ There's something about politics in America/ Death to Donald Trump/ Death to Donald Trump/ There's something about politics in America..."[54]
"No Favors" byBig Sean & Eminem: "I'm anti, can't no government handle a commando / Your man don't want it, Trump's a bitch! / I'll make his whole brand go under"[68]
"Land of the Free" byJoey Badass (2017): "Obama just wasn't enough, I just need some more closure / And Donald Trump is not equipped to take this country over"[69]
"Rockabye Baby" by Joey Badass (2017): "Time is running up, feel the burn in my gut / And if you got the guts, scream, 'Fuck Donald Trump'"[70]
"Santa Please" by Miss Eaves (2017): "Impeach for Christmas Impeach for Chanukah Impeach for Solstice Impeach for Kwanzaa One thing I need One thing I want Impeachment Impeach Trump"[71]
"Legendary" bydeadmau5 &Shotty Horroh (2017): "Tried to give her draws of the proper skunk / But she prefer the whites like Donald Trump"[72]
"The Heart Part 4" by Kendrick Lamar: "Donald Trump is a chump / Know how we feel, punk?"[73]
"XXX." by Kendrick Lamar (2017): "Donald Trump's in office / We lostBarack and promised never to doubt him again"[76]
"Thug Life" by21 Savage (2017): "All my tint presidential, like I'm Trump, dawg"[77]
"Set Up Shop (Remix)" byLil Baby and Marlo featuringYoung Thug (2017): "I wanna be a billionaire/ I ain't got no problem with Donald Trump"[78]
"Like Home", "Framed", and "Heat" by Eminem (2017) from hisRevival album:[79] "Grab you by the *meow*, hope it's not a problem, in fact / About the only thing I agree on with Donald is that"[13]
"In Charlotte" byYoung Dolph (2017): " I got niggas hate me like I'm Donald Trump"[84]
"Losing My Life" byFalling in Reverse: "I respawn like I have a reset button, hated more than Trump is" (2018)[85]
"Ye vs. the People" by Kanye West featuringT.I. (2018): "But ever since Trump won, it proved that I could be president".[86]
"Uproar" by Lil Wayne (2018): "Listenin' to Bono, you listen to Donald".[87]
"Another Year" byShad,Eternia &Ian Kamau (2018): "Trump is in charge, and they trump up the charges"[88]
"Love It If We Made It" byThe 1975 (2018): "'I moved on her like a bitch!' / Excited to be indicted / Unrequited house with seven pools / 'Thank you Kanye, very cool!'"[89]
"KITTY KITTY" byDe Staat (2018): Various lyrics alluding to Trump and his campaign policies, (such as "Big deal maker, orange entertainer, swamp it up, 'gator" and "Make the new news faker").[91] The song's music video depicts two crowds of people charging towards each other in slow motion, with the two groups coloured blue (to represent theDemocratic Party) and red (representing theRepublican Party).[92]
"Let Me Out" byGorillaz (2018): Donald Trump's name is mentioned, but censored, because writer Damon Albarn did not want to give the "most famous man on earth any more fame".[93]
"Arrest the President" byIce Cube (2018): "Arrest the president, you got the evidence, That nigga is Russian intelligence (Okay)"[94]
"Mama" byClean Bandit feat.Ellie Goulding (2019): music video depicting life of an abused child who grows up to resemble Donald Trump and become President, but is still unhappy
"Commotion" byMoneybagg Yo (2019): "Presidential made 'em mad like Trump (ha)"[95]
"Batuka" –Madonna (2019): "Get that old man / Put him in a jail / Where he can't stop us"[96]
"45 (A Matter of Time)" bySum 41 (2019): "I believe that I / Am losing faith in all of humankind / But then I realize it's plain to see / That a number is all you are to me"[97]
"Canals" byHighly Suspect (2019): "Donald's a bitch and Vlad Putin is too."
"Real One" byG Herbo featuringLil Durk (2020): "I was pissed off at my lawyer, me and Von ain't do shows in month/ I can't blame the judge and state's attorney, 'cause both of 'em voted for Trump"[102]
"Cancelled" byTom MacDonald (2021): "Y'all been starting rumors, let me help you with some, yeah: / I'm a racist, I'm a sexist, I'm in love with Donald Trump"[108]
"Born to Die," a 1982 song byMillions of Dead Cops begins with the chant "No war! No KKK! No fascist USA!" The chant was modified by Americanpunk rock actGreen Day at the 2016American Music Awards to become, "No Trump! No KKK! No Fascist USA!" from there, the chant was taken to the streets by anti-Trump protestors.[114]
The Christmas Song, (commonly subtitled "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire") was reworked byFiona Apple into "The Christmas Song (Trump's Nuts Roasting on an Open Fire)"[117]
"Control (Trump 45 Version)" by Dicepeople featuring The Brooklyn Foundation. In March 2018, London based dark electro band Dicepeople teamed up with Manchester's The Brooklyn Foundation for a remix of "Control", a track originally from Dicepeople's 2011 album It Gets Darker. The new "Trump 45" version of the song was released exclusively as a new politically inspired video single.[118]
"Hey Don" (2020) by Tony Fontana is a remake of the classic "Hey Joe" (first popularized in the Sixties by The Leaves andJimi Hendrix), with new lyrics that refer to some controversial acts made by Donald Trump during his first Presidency and his run for the second Office. Themes of the lyrics range from his promised border wall to Trump's handling of theCOVID-19 pandemic andunrest following themurder of George Floyd.
"American Idiot" byGreen Day, modern performances of which change the line "I'm not a part of the redneck agenda" to "I'm not a part of the MAGA agenda"
^"About 30 Days, 30 Songs".30 Days, 40 Songs. Artists for a Trump-free America. Archived fromthe original on November 6, 2020. RetrievedNovember 1, 2016.
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