The financial instability of the Republican Party as Trump has gained power is one of the most interesting stories of the past couple election cycles. And a parallel story is the emergence of peripheral, Trump-loving organizations like Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point USA, which raise and spend money in ways that seem to undercut the national party.
Turning Point’s more curious investments over the years include an “urban engagement activism kit,” which featured promotional items modeled after “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” and a Drake album, that they released in 2022 ostensibly to woo Black voters.
Turning Point Action, the political branch of the nonprofit Turning Point USA, is one of dozens of outside organizations to which the Trump campaign has “outsourced” its turnout operation, Semafor reports. And that has some Republicans nervous that the groups’ “unconventional” approach to voter mobilization might be neglecting more tried-and-true methods, like door-to-door outreach.
One element of that “unconventional” ground game appears to be hosting rap concerts in cities that Trump has repeatedly attacked. Turning Point Action announced on Monday what it’s calling the “USA concert series.” The first of two shows in the series, in Detroit on Sept. 20, features rappers 42 Dugg and Fivio Foreign. The second has rappers Jackboy and Rich The Kid in Philadelphia the following week.
Detroit and Philadelphia also happen to be two cities Trump falsely accused of cheating him out of victory in the 2020 election. But Republicans have been using rappers (as well as fried chicken and gold sneakers) in their efforts to attract Black voters, even as the party does things — like gerrymandering districts and purging voters from voter rolls — that disproportionately disenfranchise Black voters.
It seems like a gamble to spend money on this kind of event at a time when Republicans are concerned that traditional “get out the vote” efforts are lacking. After all, it’s entirely possible that people show up to these Turning Point concerts with no plan to actually vote for Trump or Republicans. Aside from that, going big on rappers has always seemed to misunderstand (or ignore) the people whom Black voters look to for advice. Spoiler alert: It’s not Jackboy, Rich The Kid, 42 Dugg or Fivio Foreign — none of whom has had a hit in recent memory and none of whom is known for political commentary.
Remember that Republicans once had one of the biggest rappers in the world on their side — Kanye West — and that didn’t lead to a surge of Black support for Trump. But Kirk and his organizations, with their oodles of cash, seem to think a batch of less-famous performers might do the trick this time around.
It’s like they’re saying to Detroit and Philadelphia, “Here are a few middling rappers to make you forget all about Trump suggesting you’re all a bunch of corrupt election-cheaters.” I’m not sure such obvious stunts are going to fly.