MAGA ‘Rap’ is the Worst Form of Cultural Appropriation

In 2024, it’s beyond sad that MAGA “rap” has become a thing but that’s where we’re at. On Friday, Canadian rapper Tom MacDonald released the song “Facts” accompanied by the biggest right-wing troll of them all: Ben Shapiro. MacDonald’s raggedy discography features songs like “White Trash,” “Straight White Male” and “Fake Woke” (which was predictably promoted by Fox News).

“Facts” falls in line with MacDonald’s previous efforts and insists white men are being victimized and demonized for no reason by people of color. Interestingly enough, the pair are co-opting a Black art form to disparage Black folks. It’d be safe to say that the jokes write themselves if the messaging wasn’t so dangerous.

In the video—which has amassed almost 7 million views on YouTube—MacDonald vehemently shakes his Pusha T-inspired braids and flaunts his grill alongside Shapiro while spouting lines like: “There’s only two genders boys and girls” and “I’m not ashamed because I’m white/If every Caucasian’s a bigot, I guess every Muslim’s a terrorist, every liberal is right.”

MacDonald also laments over American flags being replaced by Black Lives Matter flags and rainbow symbolism. The two cents that Shapiro adds only furthers the white supremacist rhetoric as he states that “woke Karens” have ruined his comments section but his conservative views still remain extremely profitable.

Shapiro also uses words and phrases like “WAP,” “homey,” “no cap” and “dawg” while simultaneously shouting out Nicki Minaj (Minaj responded on X by stating Shapiro’s musical skills weren’t bad). MacDonald has built an entire career—if you can call it that—off of Black culture while propping up racist ideology.

Shapiro has gone after and condemned rap music/Black culture for years. To employ the same artistry you claim to hate for profit is beyond hypocritical—and pretty much sums up America in its entirety. Minaj co-signing this putridness is disappointing but entirely on brand for her.