ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the perceptions of Donald Trump by Black male rap artists decades before and during his presidency. An analysis of invocations of Trump’s name as part of heteronormative posturing among rappers reveals that musicians embraced a pre-political Trumpian masculinity defined as misogynistic, status-seeking, and combative. This posture matches the masculinity otherwise performed in rappers’ songs, identified in this work as a type of protest masculinity. However, during his 2016 campaign and his presidency, Trumpian masculinity engendered racism and antipathy toward immigrants. Consequently, rap artists rejected this racist persona by criticizing and challenging both his conduct and verbal performances. Interestingly, among rappers, Trump has received scorn for his racialized rhetoric, but not his heteronormative gender dominance. This chapter explores the intersections of race, gender, and popular culture, arguing for a more nuanced understanding of masculinity.
