Will young Black people guarantee Trump's election victory?
With the rise of notable rappers in feigned support for the Trump administration, some may wonder if this has any influence on young Black men and women's choice in the upcoming election
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Due to recent news and social media reports surrounding the 2020 presidential election, many speculate that the election might be decided by support for President Trump from young members of the Black community.
With less than a week from Election Day, hip-hop artists including 50 Cent and Ice Cube — garnered vast political attention by expressing support for Trump's administration. Particularly 50 Cent (aka Curtis Jackson) who endorsed Trump's re-election in a viral Instagram and Twitter post, expressing fears of former Vice President Joe Biden's proposal to raise taxes.
"Yeah, I don't want to be 20cent," he wrote."62% is a very, very, bad idea. I don't like that."
In some recent interviews, Ice Cube explained he spoke with Trump campaign officials regarding his Contract with Black America. The former N.W.A. rapper further revealed his 13-point contract in July ( Trump's Platinum Plan), as a response to the senseless murder of George Floyd.
The contract is a blueprint for achieving education, racial, economic, criminal justice, and police reform the community has sought after for decades.
In addition, Ice Cube provided opening for an advisor to Trump's re-election campaign, to tweet he is for Team Trump, embellishing the intended nature of the situation.
@KatrinaPierson @icecube @realDonaldTrump Explaining that he is “not on team blue” and “not on team red,” Ice Cube… https://t.co/YDblJs228A— justin (@justin) 1603260489.0
Due to popular culture, media, and public policy, 50 Cent and Ice Cube aren't the overall voice of Black political thought, nor are they a hidden Pocket Pro-Trump activism among Black men and women. There are many outliers present within the Black community regarding voting. The rappers are unlikely to sway Black voters away from a Democratic candidate in the election.
A recent study at American University Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies found Trump is undoubtedly unpopular amongst Black Americans. Of the over 1,200 Black American respondents surveyed in six key swing states (Georgia, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Florida, and Michigan) in early July, only 7% stated they had intentions of voting for Trump, and 66% said they were voting for Biden.
Also, according to a CBS-BET poll released a couple of days ago, 8% of potential Black voters say they will vote for Trump. Despite this, the CBS News report on the poll states that half of the Black seniors in the country will support Biden because he is likable.
The support ultimately drops to 28% among Black Biden voters under 30-years-old.
This indicates younger Black Americans, particularly millennial-aged Black men, are indifferent to politics, often choosing not to participate in the election.
Why is that?
Many Black Americans new to voting don't really see much of a reason to choose between the lesser of two evils. I have witnessed some of my peers go back and forth with who they want to vote for, or rather, not vote at all because they feel their vote is insignificant.
Even though their parents and grandparents lived through intense racial strife and segregation, young Black people believe that they don't have much to reference as examples of progress attributed directly to voting or politics. Especially when you consider the ongoing amount of Black voter oppression that continues in the U.S. today.
Understandably, many Black Americans have received negative consequences for economic inequality and health disparities afflicting the community. There's also unmanageable student loan debt that makes it hard to build wealth, purchase a home, and save money.
Let's also not forget to mention the reoccurring waves of racism and police brutality that directly affect them and their loved ones.
Moreover, some Black people, especially young Black men wanting to enter politics, might seek alternatives that go against the grain of the community's beliefs. This makes it seem young Black people might be falling in line with Trump's rhetoric.
This couldn't be further from the truth.
Or, as the iconic hip-hop group, Public Enemy would say: "don't believe the hype."
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