On January 17, the cryptocurrency industry hosted a grand gala in Washington DC, ahead of the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump. The event featured performances by well-known rappers including Rick Ross, Soulja Boy, and Snoop Dogg.
The gala, touted as the "first-ever crypto inauguration ball," took place at the historic Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium. This 90-year-old venue was filled with executives from major cryptocurrency companies such as Crypto.com, Kraken, and Exodus, as reported by Reuters.
The event was organized by David Sacks, the former COO of PayPal, who has been appointed as the White House AI and Crypto Czar. His involvement highlights the increasing intersection of politics, cryptocurrency, and entertainment.
Donald Trump, who previously voiced skepticism about cryptocurrencies, has since embraced the trend by launching his own meme coin, $Trump. This coin reportedly reached a market capitalization of several billion dollars in a short span, as covered by the BBC.
The gala's menu was themed around Donald Trump and included his favorite fast-food items: McDonald’s burgers and fries. Attendees were entertained by live performances from Snoop Dogg, Rick Ross, and Soulja Boy while they enjoyed their meals. Guests also received "swag," including red baseball caps emblazoned with the slogan "Make Bitcoin Great Again."
Snoop Dogg was seen performing his iconic hit "Nuthin’ but a G Thang," while a video of Rick Ross performing "All I Do Is Win" gained viral attention on social media platform X, amassing over three million views.
Despite their performances, Snoop Dogg, Rick Ross, and Soulja Boy did not attend the event in support of Donald Trump personally, as he was not present. Nonetheless, their participation in the gala sparked significant backlash from fans who perceived their involvement as an endorsement of the controversial President-elect.
Many fans took to social media to express their disappointment. One fan tweeted a direct message to Snoop Dogg, "We not gonna let you forget this, @SnoopDogg. Stay in MAGA world. Don’t wanna hear s**t from you ever again." Another commented, "I never thought I’d have Snoop Dogg being a Trump supporter on my bingo card…. But here we are. What a f**king disappointment."
Some fans went as far as calling for a boycott of the artists. "When Rick Ross drops another album? Let that s**t rot. When Snoop comes out trying to host a new show or sell us something? Turn his TV off," one user wrote. Another fan lamented, "Nipsey and Pac would never!!!" referring to beloved figures Tupac Shakur and Nipsey Hussle.
The reactions were particularly surprising given Snoop Dogg's previous criticism of Black community members who supported Trump during his first term. He had labeled them with derogatory terms but has since praised Trump, claiming he "has done only great things" for him.
Snoop Dogg, Rick Ross, and Soulja Boy are not the only artists facing scrutiny for their associations with Trump. Country music star Carrie Underwood also announced her performance at Trump's presidential inauguration on January 20, which led to backlash from her LGBTQ+ fan base.
One long-time fan expressed their dismay on social media: "I have been a fan of @carrieunderwood for 20 years since I was 8. I took on a drag persona Calia named after a brand she established and have supported every venture she’s ever been part of, but as a queer person I am deeply hurt for her choice. Now I just am struggling with this news and I feel beside myself."
Rapper Nelly, who is set to perform at another inauguration event called the Liberty Inaugural Ball, has also defended his decision, stating, "this isn’t politics." Despite his assertion, the timing of the event on Martin Luther King Day has drawn criticism from disappointed fans.
As Donald Trump's inauguration takes place today, January 20, at 11:30 am ET in the US, the controversy surrounding these performances continues to stir debate across social media and within fan communities.
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