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Swae Lee doesn’t typically dabble in the political world, but felt compelled to speak out against Kamala Harris over the weekend, and is now facing the heat. The Rae Sremmurd frontman blasted the vice president while urging his fans not to vote for the likely Democratic nominee for president.
“Do not vote for Kamala !!! Do your research on that whole camp,” Swae Lee tweeted on Saturday (July 27). His message quickly went viral and currently boasts more than 86,000 likes.
The “Sunflower” crooner complained about the alleged millions of dollars in taxes he pays that he says is being sent to other countries such as Ukraine during the country’s war with Russia.
“I pay over millions in tax dollars every year this man Sent it to A whole nother country !!!!!!!!! Those lil dollars that come off your checks they gave it away !!!!!!! Think about that s-t,” he added.
Swae Lee believes that money would be better suited in the U.S. to help out struggling citizens.
“The money we sent away every American citizen could’ve got minimal 200 grand think about that but I guess we don’t need the s–t and yall standing for Kamala,” he continued. “My black people she don’t do nothing but sign off on things against yall ….(us) voting just cuz you think she’s black is not going to end in your favor.”
The 31-year-old also reposted a 2019 debate featuring Republican Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard shredding Harris’ time as district attorney of San Francisco. “Y’all better pay attention! And there’s a lot more,” Swae wrote.
Plenty of debate broke out on both sides in Swae Lee’s replies. Higher Learning podcast host Van Lathan believes rappers have too much influence over public opinion to be miseducated on political matters.
“We need a once a year Hip Hop political convention, I’m deada–. Non partisan, in a Black city, no media,” he wrote. “Rappers have far too much cultural influence to be so consistently misinformed.”
We need a once a year Hip Hop political convention, I’m deadass. Non partisan, in a Black city, no media. Rappers have far too much cultural influence to be so consistently misinformed. https://t.co/hk2pz1pkf2— Van “#1 Voice in Wrestling Media” Lathan Jr (@VanLathan) July 27, 2024
Another pointed out some of the inaccuracies in the musician’s tweets. “Kamala Harris has fought for criminal justice reform, healthcare, and economic equality,” responded a user named Maja Porter. “Voting isn’t just about race; it’s about who can bring real change. Let’s vote for policies that benefit all Black Americans and ensure a better future for everyone.”
“Actually, the Biden and Harris administration has been in office for a little over three years, not four,” Porter continued. “During this time, they’ve made progress on several fronts, including passing the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to improve roads, bridges, and public transportation, and taking steps to address climate change by promoting clean energy and reducing carbon emissions.”
“And the number grows of d-list ‘celebrities’ who want a Trump tax cut and are willing to sell us for it,” tweeted another user in response.
Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race and quickly endorsed his VP on July 21; Harris is expected to be the Democratic party’s nominee. She’s already received numerous endorsements from artists as Cardi B, Ariana Grande, Olivia Rodrigo, Questlove, Lizzo, John Legend, Demi Lovato and more.
See Swae Lee’s tweets about not voting for Kamala Harris below.
Do not vote for Kamala !!! Do your research on that whole camp— Swae Lee Lee Swae (@SwaeLee) July 27, 2024
The money we sent away every American citizen could’ve got minimal 200 grand think about that but I guess we don’t need the shit 🤷🏽♂️ and yall standing for Kamala. My black people she don’t do nothing but sign off on things against yall ….(us) voting just cuz you think she’s black…— Swae Lee Lee Swae (@SwaeLee) July 27, 2024
I pay over millions in tax dollars every year this man Sent it to A whole nother country !!!!!!!!! Those lil dollars that come off your checks they gave it away !!!!!!! Think about that shit— Swae Lee Lee Swae (@SwaeLee) July 27, 2024
In a campaign his new rival has taken to calling “weird,” former President Donald Trump raised eyebrows — and some alarm — over the weekend when he promised a group of conservative Christian followers that if he’s elected to a second term they will never have to go to the polls again.
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That seeming nod to a desire to unwind traditional democratic norms in the U.S. caused some concern among political pundits, as well as Cardi B, who has been very vocal lately about her thoughts on the upcoming election. “Whistle blowing a dictatorship? [concerned face emoji],” Cardi tweeted on Saturday along with the clip of Trump telling the crowd at Turning Point Action’s “Believers Summit” in West Palm Beach, FL to turn out to the polls just this one last time.
Convicted felon Trump — who is still facing a potential sanction in Georgia for alleged election interference from the 2020 election in one of his three major remaining cases tied to his single term in office — encouraged the audience to vote for him in November in what he deemed the “most important” election ever. “Get out and vote just this time,” Trump said. “You won’t have to do it anymore. Four more years it will be fixed. It’ll be fine. You won’t have to vote anymore, my beautiful Christians.”
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The comment, which appeared to suggest that after Trump is elected he might do away with the popular vote, or even elections entirely, was followed by a double-down. “You’ve got to get out and vote,” twice impeached Trump said. “In four years, you don’t have to vote again, we’ll have it fixed so good you’re not going to have to vote.” Trump has continued to erroneously insist that he won the 2020 presidential election, despite experts finding no evidence to support his claims and election monitors saying the previous vote was among the most secure in the nation’s history.
Frequent Trump critic Bette Midler also weighed in on the former reality TV host’s concerning stance, tweeting, “He’s telegraphing his authoritarian intentions in plain sight. He means it’s over for democracy. You won’t have to vote because he’s taking your vote away from you. If he wins, he’s there for life, and there will be nothing you can do.”
Trump also said in an interview earlier this year that he would be a “dictator” just for one day if he were elected to a s second term.
Cardi has seemingly been energized by the news surrounding Vice President Kamala Harris’ decision to take on Trump and run for the democratic nomination. She’s also been ticked off by the rampant misogyny and disrespect some pundits and politicians have heaped on the nation’s potentially first female, as well as Black and South Asian, president. “I always knew how people are when it comes to women, but the disrespect? Listen, if you don’t like her as a politician, that’s you. But if you disrespect her because she’s a woman? It’s very disgusting,” Cardi said on X last week.
“It’s crazy because four, five days ago, I was like, ‘Yo, I feel like I’m not a feminist.’ I’ve been feeling like a lot of these women are your worst enemies,” she added. “The toughest critics are women. […] But then, the natural self of me is like, ‘Damn, maybe I am a feminist. Men are always gonna blame your success on her p—-. People are blaming her success on her p—-. What? She f—ed Joe Biden? She f—ed the whole Democratic Party that the whole Democratic Party decided she should be Vice President? I hate that narrative because I feel like women work harder than men.”
At the end of the day, Cardi said, “The way that y’all disrespect her, makes me like her.”
Since Harris entered the race unexpectedly following President Biden decision to drop out, the veep has raised more than $200 million in one week and signed up more than 170,000 volunteers. Given Trump’s recent conviction on more than 30 felony charges in his New York hush money case, an earlier conviction in a sexual abuse and defamation case by writer E. Jean Carroll in which he was ordered to pay nearly $90 million and the other potential sanctions he faces in his three other pending trials, former prosecutor Harris has landed on a law-and-order approach to her campaign.
“I know Donald Trump’s type,” Harris said in one of her first campaign appearances last week to cheers of “lock him up!” from a crowd. She continued, “As attorney general of California, I took on one of our country’s largest for-profit colleges that was scamming students. Donald Trump ran a for-profit college that scammed students. As a prosecutor, I specialized in cases involving sexual abuse. Well, Trump was found liable for committing sexual abuse. As attorney general in California, I took on the big Wall Street banks and held them accountable for fraud. Donald Trump was just found guilty of fraud on 34 counts.”
See Cardi B and Midler’s tweets below.
“Trump Says Americans ‘Won’t Have to Vote Anymore’ If He Wins…He’s telegraphing his authoritarian intentions in plain sight.” He means it’s over for democracy. You won’t have to vote because he’s taking your vote away from you. If he wins, he’s there for life, and there…— bettemidler (@BetteMidler) July 29, 2024
Kesha definitely isn’t a fan of Sen. JD Vance, much less his recently resurfaced comments about the country being run by “a bunch of childless cat ladies.”
On her way inside LAX Thursday (July 25), a photographer asked the 37-year-old pop star for her thoughts on former president Donald Trump’s 2024 running mate — and she didn’t mince words. “Booooo! F–k that man,” she said, according to the video obtained by TMZ. “That’s all I have to say. F–k them all.”
Vance has been under fire this week thanks to an interview he gave Tucker Carlson in 2021, during which he said the U.S. is being run by “childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives and the choices that they’ve made, and so they want to make the rest of the country miserable, too.”
“It’s just a basic fact — you look at Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg, [Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez] — the entire future of the Democrats is controlled by people without children,” the Ohio politician added at the time. “And how does it make any sense that we’ve turned our country over to people who don’t really have a direct stake in it?”
As for whether the Democratic party is actually full of child-free cat parents, Kesha quipped, “It is, b—h! And this is what it looks like, honey.”
The “Joyride” artist also agreed that Vance’s assessment is sexist before endorsing Kamala Harris’ 2024 presidential campaign on her way into the airport. “Absolutely!” she said when asked whether she was supporting the sitting VP. “We ride.”
Kesha isn’t the only public figure who’s spoken out against the senator’s comments, which have been thrust back into public discourse after Trump appointed Vance his VP pick earlier this month. Jennifer Aniston recently criticized the rhetoric on Instagram Stories, writing, “Mr. Vance, I pray that your daughter is fortunate enough to bear children of her own one day … I hope she will not need to turn to IVF as a second option. Because you are trying to take that away from her, too.”
Pete Buttigieg, one of the Democrats Vance name-checked in his comments on Carlson’s show, fired back on CNN this week. “The really sad thing is he said that after [my husband] Chasten and I had been through a fairly heartbreaking setback in our adoption journey,” said the secretary of transportation, who is now Dad to two adopted kids. “He couldn’t have known that, but maybe that’s why you shouldn’t be talking about other people’s children.”
Vance, however, doubled down on his point in an interview with Megyn Kelly Friday (July 26). “The simple point that I made is that having children … I really do think it changes your perspective in a pretty profound way,” he said. “It’s not a criticism of people who don’t have children. This is about criticizing the Democratic party for becoming anti-family and anti-child.”
Dave Matthews was one of thousands of protesters who gathered in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday (July 24) to condemn the U.S. Congress’ reception of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a moment in history the musician called “shameful” in an on-site interview.
Speaking to Al Jazeera near the Capitol, Matthews said, “I just think it’s terrible when the majority of the world is looking at this man and what he’s doing in Gaza, and then also what he’s overseeing in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, that we’re welcoming into the so-called sacred halls of our government.”
“This has been an ongoing struggle for people that just want to have dignity and be able to live independent lives and dream of a better future,” he continued in support of Palestinians during the on-camera interview, which showed other protesters milling behind him. “This man is the pinnacle of the obstacle toward that freedom and that we have him visiting the country is obscene. It’s a disgusting show of support for someone that doesn’t deserve our support.
“I’m ashamed that my tax dollars are going to the brutalizing of an entire people,” Matthews added. “It’s shameful. And I’m ashamed that our government is welcoming him here.”
According to The Associated Press, thousands were present Wednesday to protest Netanyahu’s visit and call for an end to U.S. aid to Israel amid the country’s ongoing war against Hamas, which has claimed more than 39,000 Palestinian lives. The conflict began after the Palestinian terrorist group killed 1,200 people and took about 250 hostages in its Oct. 7 attacks on Israel.
Police deployed pepper spray into the crowd on Wednesday after some protesters became “violent” and “failed to obey” orders to move back, according to authorities. Nine people were arrested in D.C., including four who were charged with assaulting an officer outside Union Station.
At one point, some demonstrators attempted to block Netanyahu’s route to the Capitol but were removed from the street by police. Once inside, the prime minister called the protesters “idiots” and said that Israel intends to “fight until we achieve victory,” per CNN.
The following day, Netanyahu met separately with President Joe Biden and Vice President/presumptive 2024 Democratic nominee Kamala Harris at the White House, where the leaders reportedly negotiated a ceasefire deal. On Friday, Netanyahu plans to meet with former president Donald Trump in Florida.
See Matthews’ comments on Netanyahu’s visit to Congress below.
Bette Midler is a big fan of the “childless cat ladies” out there, especially Taylor Swift. A resurfaced 2021 interview from Donald Trump’s Vice President selection, JD Vance, made its way around the Internet this week, in which the Ohio Junior Senator slammed Democrats on Tucker Carlson Tonight. “We’re effectively run in this country via […]
The unlikely aligning of a pair of Dons. Donald Trump posted a video soundtracked by Don Toliver’s “Attitude” featuring Charlie Wilson and Cash Cobain to his TikTok account on Wednesday (July 24).
The clip finds the former president blasting Vice President Kamala Harris by utilizing some of his previous soundbites attacking the probable Democratic presidential nominee while “Attitude” vocals thump in the background.
“KAMALA, YOU’RE FIRED,” Trump captioned the video. Toliver has yet to publicly react to Trump’s TikTok. Billboard has reached out to reps for Don Toliver and Charlie Wilson for comment.
With just over 100 days until the election, the twice-impeached former president takes several shots at Harris in the TikTok clip. “You’ve been terrible at everything you’ve done. You’re ultra-liberal and we don’t want you here. We don’t want you anywhere,” 45 spews.
Fans were stunned to hear the worlds of the Cactus Jack artist and Trump colliding. “He saw Kamala use brat for promo and had to lock the f–k in,” one person wrote on X.
Another chimed in, “We’re living in a simulation!”
“Attitude” appeared on Don Toliver’s Hardstone Psycho album in June, which debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 — his highest since 2021’s Life of a Don. The Cash Cobain-produced single reached No. 58 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 16 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts.
Kamala Harris has also had her share of music moments since Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 presidential race on July 21. Charli XCX endorsed the Democratic front-runner, claiming that “Kamala IS brat” after her acclaimed LP, and Harris HQ returned the favor by changing her X banner to the signature Brat lime-green tint with black text.
Harris appears to have found a fitting anthem of her own. After walking out to Beyoncé‘s “Freedom” during her inaugural visit to campaign headquarters, the vice president released her first campaign video July 25 featuring Bey’s 2016 hit.
“What kind of country do we want to live in,” she asks in the clip. “There are some people who think we should be a country of chaos, of fear, of hate. But us? We choose something different. We choose freedom.”
Watch Trump’s TikTok below:
Cardi B doesn’t want any misogyny towards Kamala Harris.
The rapper took to X to share a 20-minute Spaces rant, expressing empathy that following President Joe Biden’s dropout from the presidential race, Vice President and potential Democratic nominee Kamala Harris “has 70, 80 days to change people’s perspective of her.”
She continued, “I always knew how people are when it comes to women, but the disrespect? Listen, if you don’t like her as a politician, that’s you. But if you disrespect her because she’s a woman? It’s very disgusting.”
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Cardi added, “It’s crazy because four, five days ago, I was like, ‘Yo, I feel like I’m not a feminist.’ I’ve been feeling like a lot of these women are your worst enemies. The toughest critics are women. […] But then, the natural self of me is like, ‘Damn, maybe I am a feminist.’
“Men are always gonna blame your success on her p—-. People are blaming her success on her p—-. What? She f—ed Joe Biden? She f—ed the whole Democratic Party that the whole Democratic Party decided she should be Vice President? I hate that narrative because I feel like women work harder than men.”
The rapper concluded, “The way that y’all disrespect her, makes me like her.”
Since Biden’s endorsement of Harris, countless party members, public figures and voters alike provided an outpouring of support for the attorney-turned-politician’s last-minute campaign, which raised more than $50 million in fundraising less than a day after it launched. “On behalf of the American people, I thank Joe Biden for his extraordinary leadership as President of the United States and for his decades of service to our country,” Harris wrote in a public response to the news. “I am honored to have the President’s endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination.”
Watch Cardi’s full Spaces clip here.
https://twitter.com/i/spaces/1lPKqONZkqQJb
Fans of RuPaul’s Drag Race didn’t just fall out of a coconut tree — and Vice President Kamala Harris wants to remind them of the context they exist in. Ahead of Friday’s (July 26) finale episode of All Stars 9, Drag Race shared an official clip set to air in the first moments of the […]
Looks like Kamala Harris may have found her official campaign song. After walking out to Beyoncé‘s “Freedom” at her inaugural visit to campaign headquarters earlier this week, the presidential contender has now released the first voter-rousing video of her candidacy, once again featuring the pop superstar’s 2016 hit.
In the campaign video, which Harris shared to her social media accounts Thursday morning (July 25), the Democratic front-runner for the nomination begins by asking voters a question: “What kind of country do we want to live in?”
“There are some people who think we should be a country of chaos, of fear, of hate,” she continues in a voice-over as warped photos of Republican opponent Donald Trump flash by. “But us? We choose something different. We choose freedom.”
Harris continues to paint a picture of her dream future while footage of her speaking to supporters on the campaign trail cuts in between clips of working Americans. Meanwhile, Bey belts out her uplifting lyrics, “Freedom, freedom, I can’t move/ Freedom, cut me loose/ Singing, freedom, freedom/ Where are you?”
“The freedom not just to get by, but get ahead,” Harris continues. “The freedom to be safe from gun violence. The freedom to make decisions about your own body … When we fight, we win.”
Beyoncé dropped “Freedom” with Kendrick Lamar in 2016 as part of her critically acclaimed album Lemonade, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The gospel-infused track reached No. 35 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Eight years later, it seems the 32-time Grammy winner has given Harris her stamp of approval by signing off on the politician’s use of the song. CNN confirmed that Bey was quick to green light the sync ahead of Harris’ headquarters speech, clearing it just hours before the candidate walked out to “Freedom.”
The “Break My Soul” singer’s mother, Tina Knowles, has also joined dozens of figures in the entertainment world in endorsing Harris. Sharing a photo she previously snapped with the sitting VP, the businesswoman wrote, “New, Youthful, Sharp … Go Vice President Kamala Harris for President. Let’s Go ❤️❤️❤️❤️ #kamala2024”
Watch Harris’ new campaign video featuring Bey’s “Freedom” below.
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With Kamala Harris poised to possibly become the nation’s first-ever female president, the current VP is already facing a barrage of sexist comments on social media — and Cardi B is having none of it.
After seeing that people online were attacking the Democratic party’s presumptive 2024 nominee — who President Joe Biden endorsed shortly after announcing that he was dropping out of the race last weekend — the rapper took to X Tuesday (July 23) to specifically shut down misogynistic criticism regarding Harris’ husband, lawyer Doug Emhoff.
“What does Kamala Harris husband or relationships have to do wit her credentials?” Cardi tweeted. “Do y’all hire people based on who they f–king??”
The Grammy winner’s comment seemingly comes in response to a wave of attacks baselessly suggesting that Harris has cheated on Emhoff, whom she’s been married to since 2014, in order to achieve career success. Some of the attacks have had racist and antisemitic overtones, with people taking aim at the couple’s interracial relationship and Emhoff’s Jewish descent.
Cardi isn’t the only star to come to Harris’ defense lately. Earlier this week, Lizzo slammed critics who’ve alleged that the former prosecutor “didn’t do anything” during her ongoing tenure as Biden’s vice president, challenging, “Please, for $5,000, do not use Google, tell me what any vice president has ever done during their term that was notable that you noticed.”
“The vice president’s job is to take a backseat and support while the president does everything that’s forward-facing,” the “About Damn Time” had singer added.
Several other musicians have also endorsed Harris over the past few days, from Ariana Grande to Barbra Streisand, Carole King, John Legend and more. As she was quick to remind fans recently, though, Cardi beat most of her peers to the punch, having said in a June livestream before Biden dropped out that she thought Harris should’ve been the Democratic presidential candidate instead.
See Cardi’s tweet defending Kamala Harris below.
What does Kamala Harris husband or relationships have to do wit her credentials? Do y’all hire people based on who they fcking??— Cardi B (@iamcardib) July 23, 2024