Rapper Soulja Boy has defended his performance at the first-ever Crypto Ball in Washington D.C. on Friday, an inauguration celebration event for President-elect Donald Trump, alongside entertainers Snoop Dogg and Rick Ross.
During a heated Instagram Live session over the weekend, Soulja Boy cited financial motivation for his appearance while acknowledging he was "somewhat misled" about the event's political nature.
Why It Matters
The performance has ignited debate within the hip-hop community about artistic integrity versus financial opportunity.
The controversy echoes similar backlash faced by other Black artists who performed at past Trump events, most notably R&B singer-songwriter Chrisette Michele, whose career suffered significant setbacks following her 2017 inauguration performance.
What To Know
The Crypto Ball, hosted by incoming White House AI and "Crypto Czar" David Sacks, charged between $2,500 to $5,000 per ticket. Snoop Dogg performed hits including "Drop It Like It's Hot" while DJing crowd favorites, marking a significant shift from his previous criticism of Trump and MAGA supporters.
In a candid Instagram Live response to critics, Soulja Boy defended his decision to perform at the party. "They paid me a bag. Obama ain't never put no money in my f****** pockets. Kamala ain't never put no money in my f****** pockets. Trump put money in my pockets," he stated.
Newsweek reached out to the Trump transition team and a press contact for Soulja Boy via email on Sunday for comment.
The rapper further challenged critics: "Y'all want me to not answer the phone for the f***ing president? This n**** the president of the motherf****** United States. Trump wasn't even there. It wasn't even a Trump event. It was the Crypto Ball for crypto. And I'll go again."
The Democratic Party has maintained close ties with prominent rappers throughout the years, with Barack Obama notably hosting Kendrick Lamar, Common, Pusha T, and other acts at the White House during his presidency.
More recently, Vice President Kamala Harris prominently featured Megan Thee Stallion and other hip-hop artists during her 2024 presidential campaign rallies.
What People Are Saying
One X user pointed out the double standard for artists: "Chrisette Michele has yet to recover from performing at Trump's inauguration in 2017. Yet, Snoop, Nelly, Soulja Boy, and Rick Ross will be fine."
Another X user said: "Watching Rick Ross, Soulja Boy, Nelly, and Snoop dogg all perform at Trump's inaugural event adds an extreme amount of validation to what Malcolm X said about some black celebrities being puppets."
In a later part of his livestream, Soulja Boy admitted to feeling deceived about the event's nature: "I ain't going to lie, though. Them folks did try to trick me, though. Halfway, I was like, 'Man, f*** this n**** Trump.'"
What Happens Next
The official inauguration events are scheduled for Monday, January 20, featuring additional performers including Carrie Underwood, Christopher Macchio, and The Village People.
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