Stay Connected
Atlanta Black Star/Culture
CultureEntertainment

Lupe Fiasco and Common Share Thoughts on Donald Trump’s Presidential Win, ‘There’s Still Hope’

Posted byBy Kiersten Willis | Published on: CommentsComments (0)
Common and Lupe Fiasco (Wikipedia/@LupeFiasco Twitter)

Common and Lupe Fiasco (Wikipedia/@LupeFiasco Twitter)

As Black America continues to wrap it’s head around Donald Trump’s stunning win in the presidential election, rappers Common and Lupe Fiasco believe there is room for hope.

Common’s remarks came ahead of the election. He spoke to The Daily Beast and acknowledged the many racist who have flocked to support Trump.

“Those negative forces weren’t courageous enough to come out before,” he said. “Because they didn’t have any leader to latch on to. You take the racists in our country right now and see that they are supporting Trump, who has not shown any of the qualities to be a great leader. And you think, ‘wow, he is unfit to be president. He’s not even going to run the country better for them because he doesn’t have the intelligence to be president. ‘ ”

However, the 70-year-old businessman did win the election over Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. He earned 278 electoral votes besting Clinton’s 218 according to the Associated Press.

“You’re going to lose all integrity for someone you know is not fit to be president? You’re willing to lose your integrity, lie about things, and discredit other human beings for that reason?” Common continued to The Daily Beast.

But he remained hopeful. The Chicago-born performer believed Trump’s presidency meant Americans should push forward to find solutions on how to make the country work.

“Look, we know it will be a bad situation if Donald Trump becomes president,” he said. “But we gotta keep working and finding out what to do, because the world isn’t going to end. People say he’ll push a button and end the world, but there are still great people in this country, so I’m not going to throw the baby out with the bathwater. I still have hope.”

Still, Common has yet to make a comment on the final outcome of the election.

For Fiasco’s take, he addressed fan’s fears while recognizing the results of yesterday’s election isn’t just a small occurrence.

“A trend of ultra right, antiestablishment nationalist movements are having their turn at bat globally,” he said.

Still, he doesn’t think “it’s all doom and gloom.” While he gave credit to fan’s concerns for themselves and their families, he encourged them to “re-think the reality” of those thoughts.

Additionally, Fiasco acknowledged “some straight up unfiltered racists [will] feel empowered” but that didn’t mean a complete racial policing process would be enacted.

In the tweets that followed, the Chicago, Illinois-born MC said he felt Trump can offer some benefits but they “will cost us dearly on other levels.”

Still, echoing rapper Common’s words before the election concluded, Fiacso said he didn’t think Trump’s win spelled the end.

“The same hopelessness you feel now is the same millions of Trump supporters felt & why they voted for him,” Fiasco said.

Instead of “running and hiding,” he encouraged fans to learn about how fear works and understand other people’s fears.

He also pushed for fans to step up and lead themselves rather than looking to celebrities to save them.

And although he focused his message on his Black fans, Fiasco said Trump supporters should lead too.

He wrapped his dialogue by encouraging fans to relax and take in the four-part miniseries The Century of the Self. The 2002 documentary, according to The Guardian, is an examination of how ideas have become important enough to shape the way we police society.

Related Stories

Back to top