Politics

Atlanta Rapper Raury Has a Message for Donald Trump

September 23rd 2015

Shortly before Raury, the 19-year-old Atlanta rapper, made his broadcast television debut on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert last night, he changed outfits with his fellow guest in mind: GOP front-runner Donald Trump.

According to VICE News, who was backstage with the musician before the performance, Raury threw on a green Mexico soccer jersey bearing Trump's name on the back with a red X through it. The rapper told VICE News that he wanted to send a message to the candidate when he learned they would be appearing on the same episode.

"Trump embodies separation, solving problems with anger, fear, and personal differences," he said. "I'm all about the opposite, about being inclusive and open."


The jersey was an obvious dig at Trump's hard-line stance on immigration, and at the candidate's inflammatory comments about Mexicans crossing the border, a group he has referred to as drug dealers and rapists. In his relatively calm interview with Colbert earlier in the program, Trump defended his plan to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, which he said would include a "beautiful, big fat door" for immigrants to legally enter the country.

Trump reportedly left the Ed Sullivan theater before Raury's charged performance, but the message was received warmly by the audience, as they apparently "exploded in cheers when Raury turned around to show off Trump's crossed-out name," VICE News noted. Following the performance, which ended with the rapper handing Colbert an identical green jersey with the host's name emblazoned on the back, Raury said that "tonight is for Mexico."

The musician tweeted out his support for the Hispanic community following the taping.

Trump has faced backlash in the days following a campaign rally held in Rochester, New Hampshire, where a man wearing a Trump t-shirt addressed the candidate and spoke into a microphone, saying "we have a problem in this country. It's called Muslims."
 
Watch this ATTN: video to see how Trump responded, and how Sen. John McCain reacted when he was in a similar situation at a campaign event in the 2008 presidential election.

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