Kanye West defends Trump in his new song, and it’s just what America needs

It didn’t take long for Kanye West to deliver the goods after announcing his support for President Trump on Twitter – even calling him his “brother” – by releasing two new singles over the weekend.

Save for the first single, “Lift Yourself,” in which Ye rhymes the words “whoop,” “scoop,” and “poop” repeatedly, it was really the second song he dropped, “Ye vs. The People,” that got America talking about the substance of his newfound politics over the past week.

In it, Kanye trades bar for bar with Atlanta rapper, T.I., who represents “The People.” T.I. questions West’s motives with respect to defending Trump, a man many of his critics believe is a racist demagogue whose policies harm minorities.

“I know Obama was Heaven-sent, but ever since Trump won, it proved that I could be President,” West raps.

T.I. responds, “Yeah, you can, at what cost though? Don’t that go against the teachings that Ye taught for?”

The two freestyle back and forth where Kanye reiterates a point made by his friend and contemporary, Chance the Rapper, that black people don’t have to be Democrats.

Ye even goes on to say that he helped redefine the meaning of “Make America Great Again,” saying it had a negative perception before he “took it, wore it, rocked it, gave it a new direction, added empathy, care and love and affection.”

T.I. interjects with, “What you willin’ to lose for the point to be proved? This shit is stubborn, selfish, bullheaded, even for you. You wore a dusty-ass hat to represent the same views as white supremacy, man, we expect better from you. All them times you sounded crazy, we defended you, homie. Not just to be let down when we depend on you, homie. That’s why it’s important to know what direction you’re goin’ now. ‘Cause everything that you built can be destroyed and torn down.”

The Atlanta rapper even goes on to say that Kanye’s current political path is “just as bad as Catholic preachers rapin’ in church.”

One of the subtle takeaways from “Ye vs. The People” was when Kanye sees his olive branch gesture to Trump supporters as a truce between the Bloods and Crips, acknowledging that everyone’s emotional. But what else is he to do? He goes on to rap, “Is it better if I rap about crack? Huh? ‘Cause it’s cultural? Or how about I’ma shoot you, or fuck your bitch? Or how about all this Gucci, ’cause I’m fuckin’ rich?”

While some of the best rap songs have been inspired by politics, it’s incredibly rare to find a song that better exemplifies the current dynamic. Both Ye and T.I. feel very strongly about their position and won’t give up an inch to the other side. It’s a song about misunderstandings and how both sides interpret the same thing differently. When it comes to Ye wearing a MAGA hat, T.I. thinks that it’s a symbol of white supremacy, while Kanye genuinely feels he’s trying to give it a new meaning.

At the same time, this song is idealistic. While Kanye and T.I. are friends and can put their differences aside in the end and not let something as emotional as politics ruin their relationship, most people aren’t so fortunate. For many, politics is personal. It’s life or death. It’s not the game that Democrats and Republicans play in Washington.

If anything, the entire purpose of this song is not only to encourage listeners to think about their current politics and their preconceived notions about the other side (namely biases and stereotypes of Trump supporters), but also remind them that people can disagree on politics and still want the best for each other no matter what. Even though many like to mock and poke fun at Kanye for his inflated ego and narcissism, especially when he says he’s the voice of this generation, he constantly backs it up. “Ye vs. The People” is the song rap fans and casual listeners need in their life right now.