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Bad Bunny, Jennifer Lopez and Ricky Martin were among the prominent artists who showed support for Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign on Sunday (Oct. 27) after a speaker at a Donald Trump rally made a racist joke about Puerto Rico. All three boosted a video from the Democratic candidate pledging to do her best for the citizens of the island nation following what CNN described as a Trump rally brimming with “blistering anti-migrant rhetoric [that] ranks alongside the most flagrant demagoguery by a major figure in any Western nation since World War II.”
Their show of support for Harris came after comedian/podcaster Tony Hinchcliffe opened for convicted felon Trump at a rally at New York’s Madison Square Garden by offering up the racist jibe, “There’s literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now. I think it’s called Puerto Rico.”
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In addition, Hinchcliffe — one of nearly 30 speakers who warmed up the crowd for twice impeached former Pres. Trump — also made other racist and sexist jokes about Latinos (“they love making babies… there’s no pulling out. They don’t do that. They come inside, just like they did to our country”) as well as racist jibes about his Black “buddies” who he “carved watermelons” with and an antisemitic joke about how “Jews have a hard time throwing that paper.”
According to reports, the attempts at humor did not go over well inside the room, where they were met with tepid applause. And in an unusual apology from the Trump campaign, a senior advisor said in a statement afterwards that “this joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign,” seemingly in reference to the Puerto Rico joke. The Harris campaign referred to the Hinchcliffe set as “a vile racist tirade against Latinos.”
The racist comment immediately galvanized the trio of Puerto Rican artists, with Bad Bunny re-posting a video message from Harris in which she discussed the importance of the election for the citizens of the U.S. territory, reminding them what Trump “did and did not do when Puerto Rico needed a caring and a competent leader” after the nation was hit with devastating damage after Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017; a new report revealed that the Trump administration obstructed an investigation into why officials withheld $20 billion in hurricane relief from P.R. following Maria.
In addition to Bad Bunny sharing the message with his 45 million Instagram followers, Martin also boosted the Harris video to his nearly 19 million followers on his Instagram Stories, adding the message, “I remember @kamalaharris,” as did Lopez, whose re-post to her 250 million Instagram followers included links to Harris’ socials as well as a hands clapping emoji. Martin also claimed that his posts on X with similar content were being suppressed on the platform owned by Trump financial backer Elon Musk.
“Despacito” star and P.R. native Luis Fonsi reposted the Hinchcliffe video on his Stories with the message “Are you serious?,” as well as a portion of the Harris video and a lengthy personal note responding to the hate speech. “I understand comedy, I’m a big fan of it,” he wrote. I love roasts, trust me I get it. BUT… this is far from comedy. Not now, not against my island [Puerto Rico flag emoji], my people. Hell nah!”
Fonsi said it’s okay to have different views, but racism is not acceptable. ““We are not OK with this constant hate. It’s been abundantly clear that these people have no respect for us and yet they want our vote,” Fonsi wrote. “I purposely wrote this in English cause yes we’re American too.”
The shocking comments from Hinchcliffe at the Trump rally where CNN reported Republican candidate Trump and his MAGA surrogates spewed “racist, vulgar attacks at Harris and Democrats” came nine days before Americans go to the polls, and just a few after Trump’s former chief of staff, retired Marine General John Kelly, said the former reality TV star fits into the “general definition of a fascist” and frequently praised Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. It also comes as both Harris and Trump are spending precious time and money in the waning hours of the campaign to win over voters in the crucial swing state of Pennsylvania, where nearly 500,000 Puerto Ricans live, representing the third-largest P.R. diaspora in the U.S.
While the quartet of P.R.-born superstars did not explicitly endorse the Harris campaign in their posts, the show of support for the Democrat vying to the the first woman and person of Asian American descent to become President comes as both campaigns have been laser-focused on trying to win over crucial voting blocks including Black and Hispanic men.
With just over a week to go before Election Day, the DNC is kicking into high gear.
On Monday (Oct. 28), the DNC announced a historic “I Will Vote” ad campaign targeting Black voters through ads in 55 Black publications and on 48 Black radio stations across the United States. Grammy-winning Billboard Hot 100 chart-toppers Stevie Wonder, John Legend and LeToya Luckett-Coles are set to lend their voices to the campaign, alongside Emmy-winning actress and producer Kerry Washington.
Wonder, Legend, Luckett-Coles and Washington each voice a unique ad focusing on a different element of the upcoming election. Wonder stresses the merit and importance of voting in elections because they “determine our future”; Legend explicitly notes the Democrats’ triumph in capping insulin prices at “$35 a month for seniors”; Luckett-Coles reminds listeners that “several women in states across this country are literally dying because they rolled away our rights to reproductive health care” and Washington encourages voting “if you want to lower the cost of living.”
“This investment showcases Democrats’ unwavering commitment to reaching Black voters where they are and through the platforms they trust – including familiar Black voices that will reach them on the airwaves – to ensure they have the resources they need to cast their ballot in the most important election of our lifetimes,” DNC Chair Jaime Harrison said in a statement. “We know that the Black vote will play a major role in the outcome of this election … In this last sprint to Election Day, the Democratic Party is taking no vote or community for granted, using every opportunity to engage with every facet of our diverse coalition of voters in order to elect Democrats up and down the ballot this November.”
Some of the Black digital and print publications that will feature the new ad campaign include African News Digest, The Baltimore Times, Ebony News Today, The New Orleans Tribune, Pride Magazine, Star of Zion, Word In Black and The Villager.
The “I Will Vote” campaign coincides with the DNC’s HBCU Homecoming Tour in partnership with BET We V.O.T.E., which featured Spelman College and Morehouse College’s Spelhouse Homecoming as its final stop. The tour also visited Winston-Salem University (Sept. 28), Lincoln University (Oct. 12), Virginia State University (Oct. 12), Howard University (Oct. 19) and North Carolina A&T State University (Oct. 19).
All of the artists involved in the “I Will Vote” campaign have lent their support to the Democratic Party in the past. At this year’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago (held Aug. 19-22), Wonder performed his 1973 Hot 100 top 10 hit “Higher Ground” (No. 4); a few weeks later, the music legend unveiled a poignant new single titled “Can We Fix Our Nation’s Broken Heart,” his first new song in four years. That track soon gave way to a short arena tour called Sing Your Song! As We Fix Our Nation’s Broken Heart.
Legend also performed at the 2024 DNC. The EGOT winner teamed up with Sheila E. for a spirited rendition of “Let’s Go Crazy” in tribute to Prince, who shares a home state with Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz (Minnesota). Though she is not a musician, Washington also lent her star power to the DNC, serving as emcee for the convention’s final night while staging a reunion with Scandal co-star (and fictional president!) Tony Goldwyn.
Luckett-Cole, who boasts a Billboard 200 No. 1 album of her own (2006’s LeToya), is a former member of Destiny’s Child. During her time in the Grammy-winning vocal group, she sang alongside Kelly Rowland, LaTavia Roberson and Beyoncé, whose Kendrick Lamar-assisted “Freedom” has served as Vice President Kamala Harris‘ official campaign song.
Bad Bunny, who supports Kamala Harris, a source close to the artist tells Billboard, is getting the Democratic presidential candidate’s latest message for Puerto Rican voters out to his 45 million followers on Instagram.
“There’s so much at stake in this election for Puerto Rican voters and for Puerto Rico. And this election is not just a choice between Donald Trump and me. It is a choice between two very different visions for our nation,” Harris says in a campaign video posted on Sunday (Oct. 27), which Benito shared clips of on Instagram Stories not just once, but four times. “One, his, focused on the past and on himself, and the other ours, that is focused on the future and on you. Puerto Rico is home to some of the most talented, innovative and ambitious people in our nation, and Puerto Ricans deserve a president who sees and invests in that strength.”
In the video, Harris tells voters: “As president, I will bring down the cost of housing, invest in small businesses and entrepreneurs and fight to finally secure equal access to programs that strengthen the healthcare system and support children, seniors and working people. I will create a new Puerto Rico economy task force where the federal government will work with the private sector, with non-profits and community leaders to foster economic growth and create thousands of new, good-paying jobs in Puerto Rico, including for our young people.”
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“I know that Puerto Rico’s economic future depends on urgently rebuilding and modernizing the island’s energy grid. That’s why I will cut red tape, ensure disaster recovery funds are used quickly and effectively, and work with leaders across the island to ensure all Puerto Ricans have access to reliable, affordable electricity. I will never forget what Donald Trump did and what he did not do when Puerto Rico needed a caring and a competent leader. He abandoned the island, tried to block aid after back-to-back, devastating hurricanes, and offered nothing more than paper towels and insults. Puerto Ricans deserve better,” Harris says.
Bad Bunny emphasized Harris’ “I will never forget what Donald Trump did” line in his reposts of the speech.
Harris’ message to Puerto Rican voters on Sunday arrived the same day Trump was set to appear at a rally at New York City’s Madison Square Garden, where Tony Hinchcliffe, a podcast host/roast comedian, spewed racist jokes in an opening slot. He referred to Puerto Rico as “a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean.” Later, he made a remark that Latinos “love making babies” in a lead up to a crude joke. Vice President Harris’ campaign headquarters called it a “vile racist tirade against Latinos” on X (formerly Twitter).
Benito, who was born and raised in Vega Baja, has a history of being vocal about social-political issues affecting the Puerto Rican community.
In September he placed billboards across San Juan in protest of the Partido Nuevo Progresista (New Progressive Party), a major political party that holds the seat of governor and resident commissioner in Puerto Rico, soon after releasing the song “Una Velita.” The billboards displayed messages including “To vote for PNP is to vote for corruption,” “Who votes for PNP doesn’t love Puerto Rico” and “Voting for PNP is voting for LUMA” (the private energy company responsible for power distribution and transmission on the island). In an Instagram post showing the billboards, the star said, “Announcements paid by Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio. A Puerto Rican who does love Puerto Rico.”
“Una Velita,” released on Sept. 19, has Bad Bunny reflecting on Puerto Rico’s response to the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in 2017. “There were five thousand that they let die, and we will never forget that,” he chants on the track that addresses what happened in the wake of the Category 5 hurricane that devastated the island.
In 2022, he released a documentary-style video for Un Verano Sin Ti‘s “El Apagón.” With a runtime of almost 23 minutes, the short film takes aim at local government for its inaction in addressing blackouts, gentrification and other issues affecting Puerto Ricans.
Beyoncé is standing beside Kamala Harris leading up to Election Day on Nov. 5.
The 32-time Grammy winner took the stage alongside her Destiny’s Child bandmate and childhood friend Kelly Rowland at the Democratic presidential nominee’s rally in their hometown of Houston, Texas, on Friday night (Oct. 25), where they endorsed the Harris-Walz ticket and urged their fellow Texans to do the same.
“H-Town!” Beyoncé said to rapturous cheers when she took the mic. “We are so happy to be standing here on this stage as proud, country, Texas women supporting and celebrating the one and only Vice President Kamala Harris. A woman who’s been pushing for what this country really needs right now: unity. It’s impossible not to feel the energy in this room, the positivity, the community, the humanity. We are at the precipice of an incredible shift. The brink of history.
“I’m not here as a celebrity,” she added. “I’m not here as a politician. I’m here as a mother. A mother who cares, deeply, about the world my children and all of our children live in. A world where we have the freedom to control our bodies. A world where we’re not divided. Our past, our present, our future merge to meet us here.”
Bey spoke to “all the men and women in this room, and watching around the country,” telling them: “We need you. Your voice has power and magnitude. Your vote is one of the most valuable tools, and we need you. Your freedom is your god-given right, your human right. Everybody say Texas! Texas plays a pivotal role to change the course of our future.”
The superstar then leaned into her music roots to wrap her speech, saying, “It’s time to sing a new song. A song that began 248 years ago. The old notes of downfall, discord, despair no longer resonate. Our generations of loved ones before us are whispering a prophecy, a quest, a calling, an anthem. Our moment is right now. It’s time for America to sing a new song. Our voices sing a song of unity. They sing a song of dignity and opportunity. Are y’all ready to add your voice to the new American song? Because I am. So let’s do this. Ladies and gentlemen, let’s give a big, loud Texas welcome to the next president of the United States, Vice President Kamala Harris.”
In addition to Rowland and Beyoncé, Willie Nelson performed at the Houston rally and Harris ended the night with a speech.
Though Bey hadn’t previously vocalized support for Harris amid the 2024 election cycle, her presence has been strong in the VP’s campaign over the past few months. In August, the superstar was heavily rumored to appear at the Democratic National Convention, but never showed up. Her 2016 track “Freedom” has also been a mainstay in Harris’ campaign, becoming the Democratic nominee’s walkout song in July. CNN confirmed that month that Bey had given direct approval for the song’s use.
She has previously supported other Democratic political causes, including performing with Jay-Z at a Hillary Clinton musical rally in Cleveland in 2016 ahead of that year’s presidential election. In 2020, Bey supported Joe Biden’s campaign and later celebrated his victory on Instagram. Additionally, the “Texas Hold ‘Em” singer performed at both of Barack Obama’s inaugurations in 2009 and 2013.
Watch Beyonce’s full speech below:
Bruce Springsteen supported Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris at a rally on Thursday night (Oct. 24) in Clarkston, Georgia, performing three songs and standing in stark opposition to Harris’ opponent, Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump. “I’m Bruce Springsteen and I am here today to support Kamala Harris and Tim Walz for president and vice president […]
James Taylor is supporting the Democratic ticket, as the presidential election quickly approaches. The “You’ve Got a Friend” singer will join Kamala Harris’ vice presidential choice, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, during his rally in Wilmington, North Carolina, on Thursday (Oct. 24). At the event, Walz will speak to state residents about their power to vote, […]
Beyoncé is set to appear at Kamala Harris‘ rally in Houston, Tex. — the pop superstar’s hometown — this Friday (Oct. 25), according to multiple reports.
Per The Washington Post, CNN, ABC News, The Hollywood Reporter and NBC News, which cited sources familiar with the planning, Bey will appear at the event — the venue of which has yet to be announced — as the Democratic candidate makes one of her final addresses to voters ahead of Election Day on Nov. 5. The reports include no further details on whether the “Texas Hold ‘Em” musician will perform or share remarks.
The DNC’s event posting for the rally, however, confirms that Bey’s mom, Tina Knowles, and Cowboy Carter collaborator, country legend Willie Nelson, will definitely be in attendance.
Billboard has reached out to Beyoncé’s rep, Harris’ campaign and the DNC for comment.
Though the 32-time Grammy winner has not vocalized support for Harris amid the 2024 election cycle, her presence has loomed large over the VP’s campaign. In August, the superstar was heavily rumored to appear at the Democratic National Convention — leaving even some of the Chicago event’s staffers to believe she was on the premises — but never showed up. Her 2016 track “Freedom” has also been prominent in Harris’ campaign, becoming the former prosecutor’s walkout song back in July. CNN confirmed that month that Bey had indeed given direct approval for the song’s use.
The “Break My Soul” artist has also long used her voice to support political causes, performing with Jay-Z at a Hillary Clinton musical rally in Cleveland in 2016. In 2020, Bey supported Joe Biden’s campaign and later celebrated his victory on Instagram.
If she appears, Bey will become just the latest musician to support Harris in person at a campaign event. Megan Thee Stallion, Bon Iver, Pink, Stevie Wonder and several more have performed at various rallies for the VP this year, while others such as Quavo and Eminem have given remarks. Dozens more artists have also publicly endorsed the Democratic ticket in recent months, including Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Cardi B, Katy Perry and more.
Bey’s mom has also previously come out in support of Harris. “New, Youthful, Sharp,” Knowles wrote on Instagram July 21, sharing a photo of herself posing with the politician. “Go Vice President Kamala Harris for President. Let’s Go ❤️❤️❤️❤️ #kamala2024”
Jennifer Lopez delivered an important PSA Wednesday (Oct. 23), less than two weeks ahead of the presidential election — and she did it through song. Sitting behind a piano next to actress Jenifer Lewis and vocal coach Stevie Mackey in a video posted to social media, the “On the Floor” singer and her friends belted […]
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Beyoncé will be appearing with Kamala Harris in Houston on Friday, October 25. The music icon will be performing.
The Washington Post first reported that Beyoncé would be linking up with Harris on the campaign trail and will be appearing with her mother Tina Knowles, and Country music legend Willie Nelson, too.
BREAKING: Beyoncé will appear with Vice President Harris at her event in Houston, Texas on Friday and is set to perform. pic.twitter.com/DM0U8X8VgW
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) October 24, 2024
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This pending official endorsement from Queen Bey was inevitable. While Donald Trump’s music selection usually ends up with cease and desist letters, Beyoncé co-signed the Harris Walz campaign’s use of her 2016 song “Freedom” as a rallying cry.
With less than two weeks to the election Harris is pulling out all the stop’s and Bey’s participation is looking legit, unlike her rumored appearance at the Democratic National Convention. In reality, Beyoncé was never scheduled to attend the DNC.
Also, Bey just dropped a new fragrance.
https://twitter.com/BeyLegion/status/1849436410865914130
As you could have guessed, the Bey Hive is going crazy on X (formerly known as Twitter). Don’t take our word for it, see below.
This is a developing story.
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Barack Obama demonstrated several times that he is aligned with Hip-Hop culture in several aspects, and a recent appearance at a rally for Vice President Kamala Harris adds to that assessment. During the rally in Detroit, Mich., with Eminem bringing out the former president, Barack Obama rapped the opening bars of the Motor City rapper’s smash hit “Lose Yourself” to uproarious applause.
Barack Obama was in Detroit on Tuesday (October 22) to rally voters in support of Vice President Harris, with several thousand in attendance. Ahead of Obama taking the stage, native son Eminem took to the podium to bring the popular former president out in proper fashion.
With Obama taking his place, his typical charm was on display and elevated when he talked through the lines of “Lose Yourself” with the crowd backing him up which only seemed to energize the moment further.
From there, Obama launched into his talking points and took digs at Harris’ opponent, Donald Trump, including reports of his dwindling crowd sizes, attacks on legal immigrants in Ohio, and generally painting the Republican presidential hopeful as a man lacking the traits to lead the country to better pastures.
“Any election is about more than policies, it’s about values and it’s about character,’ Obama said, as reported by the Detroit Free Press.
“Whether this election is making you feel excited or scared or hopeful or frustrated, or anything in between, do not sit back and hope for the best,” Obama said. “Don’t just hope, get off your couch and vote. Vote for Kamala Harris.”
On X, reactions to Barack Obama, including his rapping of Eminem’s bars, have been positive. We’ve got some of them listed below. We have the video clip in question below as well, courtesy of MSNBC.
Obama raps Eminem’s “Lose Yourself,” after being introduced by the rapper at a rally for Harris in Detroit, MI. pic.twitter.com/MqXJzplZPY
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) October 23, 2024
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Photo: Getty