politics

24 Jul 2024

Cardi B Defends Kamala Harris From Sexist Attacks Regarding Husband Doug Emhoff

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.

24 Jul 2024

Sly FOX News Host Calls Zeta Phi Beta A “Colored Sorority” While Criticizing Kamala Harris, Xitter Dragging Commences

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With VP Kamala Harris now officially running for President, the alleged racists on the Right are foaming at the mouth. Case in point, on Tuesday morning (July 24), during a segment on Fox and Friends discussing Harris choosing not to attend Isreal Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressing Congress, host Brian Kilemeade called historically Black sorority Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. a “colored sorority.”

“She’d rather address, in the summer, a sorority…a colored sorority, like she can’t get outta that!,” said Kilmeade. Yes, we are in 2024, and “colored” has entered the chat. By the way, that’s an outdated, racist way to describe a person of color (big difference).

Instead of watching Trump’s buddy Netanyahu kick propaganda, VP Harris will be attending and speaking Zeta Phi Beta’s national convention in New Orleans. Despite the Black Greek Lettered Organization’s storied history—it was founded in 1920 on the campus of Howard University and its rolls of accomplished members (Sheryl Underwood, Dionne Warwick) who are Black women—Kilmeade figures Harris should just cancel.

Wait until he finds out Harris is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., thus the respect is there. But the context would probably fly over his allegedly bigoted head.

The FOX News nitwit is currently getting dragged for all the filth, and deservedly so. Shout out to the Black man on the panel—Lawrence Jones III—who sat there like a soft shoe clown while the white guy went full racist, allegedly. Even white people saw the jig.

24 Jul 2024

Olivia Rodrigo Shows Her Support for Kamala Harris’ 2024 Presidential Run

Turns out your ex isn’t the only person Olivia Rodrigo is “Obsessed” with. The singer showed her support for Kamala Harris on Tuesday (July 23) in an Instagram Story, resharing a TikTok clip from the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee’s first campaign rally as a 2024 contender.

In the clip, the current VP talks about restoring reproductive rights should she win the Oval Office in November. “And we who believe in reproductive freedom will stop Donald Trump’s extreme abortion bans because we trust women to make decisions about their own body, and not have their government tell them what to do!” Harris said emphatically at the Tuesday (July 23) event in Wisconsin. “And when Congress passes a law to restore reproductive freedoms, as president of the United States, I will sign it into law.”

In addition to sharing the clip originally posted by The News Movement, the three-time Grammy winner added four raised-hands emojis to her Story.

Rodrigo, 21, has been an outspoken supporter of reproductive rights, launching her Fund 4 Good — her initiative that supports girls’ education and reproductive rights as well as preventing gender-based violence by helping to fund community-based non-profits — when she kicked off her Guts World Tour in February. A portion of the ticket sales also went to support the initiative, as well as the National Network of Abortion Funds. But she didn’t stop there. At several of her tour stops, local groups were on hand to hand out condoms, morning-after pills and information about how to find abortion care to those who were interested.

The “Drivers License” singer is far from the first musician to show support for the vice president, who is now campaigning to become the 2024 Democratic presidential nominee after President Joe Biden withdrew from the race and immediately endorsed his VP for the job on Sunday (July 21).

“Right person. Right time,” Carole King wrote on Instagram alongside a photo of the two women together, the same day Biden announced he was no longer running.

“I’m so ready to work to help unite the pro-democracy coalition to reject Trump’s authoritarian, oppressive Project 2025 and elect Kamala Harris as our President,” John Legend shared on Instagram after Biden endorsed his VP. “She’s ready for this fight and I’m excited to help her in any way I can.”

Others who have shown support for Harris’ 2024 presidential run include Charli XCX, Barbra Streisand, Cardi B, Ariana Grande, Lil Nas X, Beyonce, Moby, Questlove and more.

Watch the clip from Harris’ first campaign rally below that Olivia Rodrigo shared on Instagram:

23 Jul 2024

Donald Trump’s Donation To VP Kamala Harris’ Past Campaign Resurfaces

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Donald Trump Donated To Kamala Harris' Past Campaign

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It’s shaping up to be Vice President Kamala Harris versus disgraced former president Donald Trump in a battle for the White House, and now a donation from the orange menace to Harris’ past campaign.

The jury is still out whether a bullet did hit Trump in the ear, but one thing there is no doubt about is that he once rocked with our MVP.

A check for $6,000 featuring Trump’s very unmistakable signature is making its rounds on social media. Before he became the leader of the Republican party, he was happily sending money to Kamala Harris to support her 2011-2013 campaign to become California’s Attorney General.

Trump’s daughter, Ivanka, also chipped in, sending Harris $2,000 in 2014.

Donald Trump Uses His Money To Buy Political Favors

According to celebrity gossip site TMZ, this is not the first time Trump’s donation to Kamala Harris has resurfaced, and there is a reason behind Trump’s “generosity.”

Per TMZ:

This old connection between the now-rivals for the White House first popped up in 2020 when KH was running as Biden’s VP — and yep, it was fact-checked back then, too.

If you’re wondering why he was tossing money to both parties, Trump explained that during his 2016 presidential campaign — bragging, “I’ve given to Democrats. I’ve given to Hillary. I’ve given to everybody! Because that was my job. I gotta give to them. Because when I want something, I get it. When I call, they kiss my a**.”In other words, he openly admitted it was a strategic move to rack up political favors — and some suspect, in Kamala’s case, it was his way to sway California’s investigation into his now-defunct Trump University.

Well, Vice President Harris definitely didn’t do Trump any favors. In fact, she sent Trump’s money to a nonprofit benefiting Central American civil rights.

Well played, Madame Vice President.

23 Jul 2024

American Federation of Musicians Endorses Kamala Harris for President

The American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president.

The union’s backing comes after a unanimous vote of the U.S. members of the AFM International Board, and what they see as the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to labor. This follows President Biden’s decision not to seek reelection and his subsequent endorsement of Harris.

The New York-based union represents professional instrumental musicians in orchestras, bands, clubs and theater, as well as musicians working on film, television, commercials, and sound recordings.

“The Federation joins with all Americans who want to see a nation that is united, that promotes inclusion and a vision for the future, and that honors and respects all of its citizens. The AFM proudly endorses Kamala Harris for president of the United States. For musicians concerned about protecting their rights against exploitation both intellectually and at work, ensuring the security of our pay, benefits, and retirement, Harris is the clear choice,” AFM International President Tino Gagliardi said in a statement. 

IATSE, which represents more than 170,000 technicians, artisans and craftspersons in Hollywood and across the entertainment industry, endorsed Harris Monday as did The AFL-CIO, a federation of 60 unions, including the Department of Professional Employees, which counts Actors Equity, SAG-AFTRA, the Writers Guild of America East, AFM, IATSE and more as part of its own coalition. However, other individual entertainment unions have not yet come out with endorsements for Harris. 

This story was originally published by The Hollywood Reporter.

23 Jul 2024

Country Musicians Who Have Voiced Support for Donald Trump in the 2024 Election

A handful of country artists, including Jason Aldean and Brian Kelley, were part of this year’s Republican National Convention.

Jason Aldean, trump

Donald Trump shakes hands with Jason Aldean as his wife singer Brittany Kerr looks on, on the last day of the 2024 Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on July 18, 2024.

PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images

With little more than 100 days before the 2024 presidential election, artists are aligning with the candidate of their choice. While the majority of musicians tend to keep their political preferences to themselves — in part for fear of alienating their audience — more and more country artists are speaking out in support of Republican nominee and former president, Donald Trump.

Country music and conservative politics have been hand in hand for more than 50 years. As Richard Nixon ran for re-election in 1972, he began peeling away working and middle class Southern whites, who had previously voted Democratic. Concurrently, country music began shifting to the right, culminating in the Country Music Association making a compilation album for Nixon that year called Thank You, Mr. President, according to NPR. The shift built on Merle Haggard’s culturally groundbreaking 1969 hit “Okie from Muskogee,” which took on San Francisco “hippies” and praised a way of life where “we still wave Old Glory down at the courthouse.”

While many pop and hip-hop artists, including Ariana Grande, Cardi B, Charli XCX, Lil Nas X, Lizzo, Demi Lovato and Katy Perry have rushed to voice support for Vice President Kamala Harris, who is poised to be the Democratic candidate following President Joe Biden’s July 21 announcement that he will no longer seek reelection, country artists have been slower to voice their choice. However, a number have been very vocal in aligning with Trump, one even going so far as to release a song that echoes Trump’s talking points.

Below are country artists who have proudly declared their support for Trump.

23 Jul 2024

Kamala Harris Calls for a ‘Femininomenon’ This November With Chappell Roan Sync

With the U.S. presidential election coming up in November, Vice President Kamala Harris is making sure that voters hit the polls like rom-pom-pom-pom.

In one of the Harris campaign’s latest TikTok videos, the vice president pitched herself as the best alternative to former president Donald Trump with a little help from rising pop star Chappell Roan. Set to the singer’s 2022 single “Femininomenon,” the campaign juxtaposed photos of the former president golfing and wearing his signature “Make America Great Again” hat with stills of Vice President Harris.

“But what we really need is a femininomenon,” Roan’s voice declared over the pictures. “A what? A femininomenon!”

The video comes on the heels of President Joe Biden’s announcement on Sunday (July 21) that he was dropping out of the 2024 presidential race. While the president went on to offer his “full support and endorsement” to Harris in her bid for the presidency, the vice president has not yet secured the party’s nomination. The Democratic National Committee will hold its national convention starting on Aug. 19 in Chicago, where Harris is expected to accept the official nomination.

Chappell Roan is also far from the first pop star who the Harris campaign has used to promote the vice president’s bid. After Charli XCX declared that “Kamala IS brat” on her X account, the veep’s campaign shared a still of the tweet as well as an updated banner photo in the style of the singer’s Brat album art with its account title (Kamala HQ).

For the last few weeks, Harris has also become the subject of a growing number of memes online. Fans have taken a clip of the vice president’s May 2023 remarks swearing in the commissioners for the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence and Economic Opportunity for Hispanics — where she quoted her mother asking her “You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?” — and edited them into pop songs. Some artists even joined in one the fun, with Kesha posting a video of the clip mixed with her 2010 hit “Blow.”

22 Jul 2024

Kamala Harris Walks Out to Beyoncé’s ‘Freedom’ During Campaign Staff Meeting

All eyes have been on Vice President Kamala Harris since President Joe Biden announced on Sunday (July 21) that he’s dropping out of the 2024 presidential election and endorsing Harris to run in his place as the Democratic nominee. On Monday (July 22), when she appeared in a campaign staff meeting in Wilmington, Del., Harris boldly walked out to Beyoncé‘s “Freedom.”

“Freedom,” featuring Kendrick Lamar, was featured on Beyoncé’s 2016 Billboard 200-topping album Lemonade. It earned a 2017 Grammy nomination for best rap/sung performance, while Lemonade won best urban contemporary album and was up for album of the year and best music film.

While Beyoncé has not publicly endorsed or commented on Harris’ presidential campaign, her mother Tina Knowles has. “New, Youthful, Sharp , , energy !!!! You asked for it and our President Biden did what was best for the country ! Putting personal Ego , power and fame aside . That is the definition of a great leader, . Thank you, President Biden for your service and your leadership . Go Vice President Kamala Harris for President. Let’s Go #kamala2024,” she wrote in an Instagram post on Sunday, featuring a photo of her with the VP at her daughter’s Renaissance World Tour.

Trending on Billboard

Harris attended the show at Landover’s FedEx Field last August with her husband, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, last August, and according to financial disclosure reports released in May, Beyoncé gifted them two tickets that were valued at $1655.92, per NBC News. 

Watch Harris walk out to “Freedom” around the 5:23 mark and exit to the same song around the 25:14 mark below.



22 Jul 2024

All the Musicians Supporting Kamala Harris in the 2024 Presidential Election

Ariana Grande, Cardi B, John Legend and more have all spoken in favor of the VP’s bid.

Vice President Kamala Harris

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks about Florida’s new 6-week abortion ban during an even the Prime Osborn Convention Center on May 01, 2024 in Jacksonville, Florida.

Joe Raedle/Getty Images

After weeks of mounting pressure from fellow Democrats to drop out of the 2024 presidential race, sitting POTUS Joe Biden announced that he was doing just that — shortly after which he endorsed his own vice president, Kamala Harris, to take on the role instead.

In the hours that followed, 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.”

So, too, did musicians get on board. Following a noticeable and well-documented drought in celebrities endorsing Biden for a second term in the early months of 2024, many were suddenly quick to publicly back Harris as soon as she took the reins. Everyone from Ariana Grande to Cardi B and John Legend shared their approval of the VP’s candidacy, while Charli XCX notably declared online: “Kamala IS brat.”

More stars are sure to throw their hats in the ring as election day draws closer, while others — Jason Aldean, Kid Rock, etc. — will likely continue to cheer on former president Donald Trump as the Republican party’s nominee. Billboard will update this list as more endorsements roll in, but for now, keep reading to see which artists and other music-world figures have expressed their support of Kamala Harris’ bid for the White House so far below.

22 Jul 2024

Cardi B Reminds Fans She Wanted Kamala Harris for President Long Before Joe Biden Dropped Out of Race

In the hours since President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the 2024 election and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for the role next term, countless voters and members of the Democratic party alike have flocked to voice support for the new front-runner — but Cardi B would like to remind them all that she’s been there for weeks.

Shortly after the sitting POTUS broke the news that he was leaving the race Sunday (July 21), the rapper posted clips from a livestream she hosted in June talking about her feelings regarding the political landscape at the time. “I feel like it was very selfish of Biden … to continue to run for President,” she says in the old videos. “They should’ve passed the torch to Kamala. This was the perfect moment for her.”

In her caption, Cardi flexed her psychic abilities. “STOP PLAYING WIT ME!!!!” she wrote. “been told y’all Kamala should’ve been the 2024 candidate. Y’all be trying to play the Bronx education, baby this what I do!!! Been my passion.. don’t let my accent fool y’all.”

With her triumphant post, the “WAP” artist became one of the first musicians to publicly speak out about Biden’s decision to leave the race, which he announced via an open letter to the country on social media. Lizzo, Barbra Streisand, John Legend, Cher and more also all shared remarks, with producer Finneas writing on Instagram, “I see a person putting the people before themselves and their pride today and for that, I have an enormous amount of respect.”

Cardi has long been critical of Biden, even after endorsing him in the 2020 election. “I feel like people got betrayed,” she told Rolling Stone in her May cover story, citing the politician’s handling of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Palestine and economic struggles on the home front. “It’s just like, ‘Damn, y’all not caring about nobody.’”

“I don’t f–k with both of y’all n—-s,” she added at the time of Biden and former president Donald Trump, who is once again the Republican party’s nominee in the upcoming election. 

See Cardi’s post below.