50 Cent has recently stated that blacks are increasingly becoming aligned with Donald Trump; it’s even because they, too, are being charged under RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act). The background to this statement is one of the on-going discussions of the legal straits prominent figures are facing, among whom Trump is now alleged to have multiple indictments returned against him.
50 Cent says black people are siding with Trump now “because they got RICO charges” 🤣
— Hodgetwins (@hodgetwins) JUNE 5, 2024
That is why it is very telling that 50 Cent thus intimated that blacks, particularly those involved with organized crime or having ties to such organizations, will find a savior in Trump. The RICO Act ostensibly aims at curtailing organized crime and gang-related activities that have impinged aggregates of the black population for years. When he says that black people are betraying him because of these allegations, 50 Cent suggests that they are identifying with Trump’s legal battles and see him as being treated like them.
50 Cent’s assertion taps into a broader storyline that has been espoused by Donald Trump and some of his other supporters, which holds that the former president’s legal troubles represent a type of politically motivated persecution. To those who feel the legal system is unfairly targeting them, what’s said rings true. Trump himself has said that black people support him because they view his indictments as analogous to the systemic discrimination they face.
By this measure, a 50 Cent comment should only be particularly significant in the context of all the other celebrities and media figures who have been talking about Trump’s alleged appeal to black voters, including his Georgia mugshot, which has been quite popular among particular— HA.
More broadly, Trump has also made several efforts to court African American voters, often by highlighting criminal justice reform efforts during his administration. The latter, however, has been criticized by many as unconscious of racial ramifications and downright offensive.
50 Cent’s statement is significant in that it draws with it the current debates on racism and the judiciary before some form of general allegiance can emanate from the blacks. Indeed, it points to how high profile legal cases can shape public perceptions or even political support within certain demographic groups.
