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The Politics of Music

The Politics of Music
Kanye West ( By David Shankbone / CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
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(CelebrityAccess) — Just weeks after meeting President Donald Trump in the Oval Office, controversial rapper Kanye West announced that he thinks he has been used and that, for now at least, he’s done with politics.

In a series of Tweets on Tuesday, West said: “My eyes are now wide open and [I] now realize I’ve been used to spread messages I don’t believe in. I am distancing myself from politics and completely focusing on being creative.”

West went on to clarify his political views, noting that he supports creating jobs and opportunities for people who need them, criminal justice reform, and “common sense gun laws” that would make the world safer.

He also affirmed his “love and support” for “people seeking asylum and parents who are fighting to protect their children from violence and war.”

West, who has sported a red ‘MAGA’ hat in public on numerous occasions in recent weeks, did not elaborate on how his political views dovetailed with his past statements of support for the President.

However, while Kanye may be distancing himself from the political scrum, many artists are jumping in with both feet.

Willie Nelson has appeared at several high profile political events, including a concert in support of Texas Democratic Senate hopeful Beto O’Roarke. Then, on Tuesday night, Nelson appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live to perform two new songs, including his political hit “Vote ‘Em Out.”

“This song is only good like once ever in a while, but it’s a new one,” Nelson told the crowd before the song.

Other artists throwing their weight behind Democratic causes include Cake, Steven Stills and The Flatliners, who performed on Tuesday at another event to support Beto O’Roarke.


Some celebs have taken to more traditional methods of turning out the vote, including personally conducting door-to-door canvassing. Last week, Will Ferrell knocked on doors and campaigned in Georgia for Democratic candidate Stacey Abrams in her bid to become governor of Georgia.

Taylor Swift joined the fray as well and issued endorsements via Instagram for two Democratic candidates in the mid-term elections.

“I believe in the fight for LGBTQ rights, and that any form of discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender is WRONG. I believe that the systemic racism we still see in this country towards people of color is terrifying, sickening and prevalent,” she wrote in the post.

However, not everyone is stumping for Democrats. Kid Rock performed at a campaign rally for Republican Michigan Senate candidate John James who is seeking to unseat Democratic incumbent Deborah Stabenow. Trump won the state in 2016 by roughly 10,000 votes.

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