Rapper 50 Cent, born Curtis James Jackson III, said he believed black Americans were identifying with former President Donald Trump this election cycle over Trump's legal troubles.
50 Cent spoke on Capitol Hill Wednesday, accompanied by his lawyer Benjamin Crump, in support of black representation in the alcohol industry.
During the press conference, one reporter asked the rapper if he had made a decision on who he was supporting for president this November.
"I haven't," 50 Cent said, though added he saw black Americans identifying with Trump.
When pressed on his response, 50 Cent referenced Trump's Fulton County, Georgia RICO charges issued by district attorney Fani Willis last August. 50 Cent says black men identify with Trump “because they’ve got RICO charges.”
People in 2016 were in denial about how lower class whites actually liked Trump’s rhetoric on immigrants, etc.
2024 is going to end with them being shocked at what about Trump appeals to blacks. pic.twitter.com/lKelxYPj2F
— Richard Hanania (@RichardHanania) June 5, 2024
While on Capitol Hill, 50 Cent spoke with a series of lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle including Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert. Lauren Boebert, Colorado Republican making the white house look good. 😏 pic.twitter.com/GJnb9UnLbE
— 50cent (@50cent) June 5, 2024
The rapper also met with Texas Rep. Wesley Hunt, Ohio Rep. Joyce Beatty, along with former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, and current Speaker of the House Mike Johnson.
After posting his picture with Boebert, the rapper noted critics appeared to ignore his posts meeting other lawmakers, choosing to highlight their criticism of the Colorado representative.
"Wait, wait, guys I took pictures with everyone and all you seem to care about is Lauren. What did she do in a dark theater that hasn’t been done, my God!" 50 Cent said referencing Boebert's infamous 2023 theater incident. "Hey I don’t have chlamydia by the way. LOL." Wait, wait, guys i took pictures with everyone and all you seem to care about is Lauren 🤷🏽♂️what did she do in a dark theater that hasn’t been done, my God ! Hey I don’t have chlamydia by the way. LOL pic.twitter.com/DxBJvqSkuJ
— 50cent (@50cent) June 6, 2024
“This is really exciting for me. I got a chance to meet with both sides today, and it feels really good,” the rapper said, per USA Today. “[Lawmakers] don’t agree on a lot of stuff, and so to get them to agree on seeing me was an accomplishment in itself.”
“My experience here has been great,” he added. “I went to talk to them about economic opportunities for everybody, and it’s really exciting. The response I got makes me feel that there’s bright days ahead of us.”
In October 2020, 50 Cent threw his support behind Trump's re-election bid, saying he "[didn't] care if Trump doesn't like black people."
"62 percent are you out of ya f---ing mind," the rapper wrote of then-Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden's proposed tax plan.
After comedian Chelsea Handler infamously criticized 50 Cent's favorable remarks on Trump, the rapper appeared to rescind his support for the former president in another social media post, saying "I never liked him."
Others have speculated 50 Cent may still support Trump's 2024 bid for re-election as the rapper has frequently discussed politics, including Trump's legal troubles, across his social media.
