The first time Donald Trump was impeached wasnt in Congress.
It was in a song by YG and Nipsey Hussle.
FromTHE MARATHON DONT STOP: The Life and Times of Nipsey Hussle.Copyright 2020 by Robert J. Kenner.
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Nipsey Hussle wasshot and killedin Los Angeles on March 31, 2019.
This is the story of how the song came to be.
Everywhere I went, everybodys findin out all the real shit about him, YG recalled.
He and Nip were always talking about using their platform to make a bold statement about real issues.
As YG put it, they aspired to do stuff other motherfuckers are not doing.
So we finally hit the studio and really did it.
Over the last couple of years Trumps been foreshadowing that hes going to run, said Nipsey.
I thought it was a joke.
Hussle noticed that the power of the Trump brand was working in his favor.
When you think about the 2016 election, all you really hear is Trump, he observed.
So it was like, Are we actually taking this serious?
For Hussle, Trump was just a privileged rich dude that got an out-of-touch view of the world.
We werent feeling him, YG said.
The world wasnt feeling him.
Having grown up in L.A., both YG and Hussle found Trumps attacks on Mexican Americans particularly offensive.
I went to Paramount High School, YG recalled.
Hussle had always discouraged Black-on-brown (as well as Black-on-Black) conflict.
Thats divide and conquer, thats Willie Lynch, he told Davey D back in 2006.
I feel like we got a common enemy, so I dont feel we got time to be beefin.
His situation was really in jeopardy.
And watchin on TV, we like, Thats not right.
This dude went to college.
This dude is a good person.
I saw it up close and personal.
Moreover, Hussle had a sizable Mexican fan base turning out for his concerts and supporting his movement.
I felt like they needed somebody to ride for em, Nip said.
So that message aint something we feel neither.
Trump was taking it too far.
Nip thought the idea was tight, like a 2016 version of N.W.A.s Fuck tha Police.
His exact words, as YG remembered them, were: Cuz, on Six-Owe, I feel you!
Everything unfolded quicklyfrom that point.
YG knew exactly which beat he wanted to use.
I never thought this would be popular, Swish said, but it fits well with the times.
DJ Mustard and Young Thug happened to be in the studio when the vocals were laid down.
We heard it back through the speakers and we already knew this was powerful, Hussle later recalled.
YG thought Nip should be the one to rap the verses.
You always talk about real shit, he said.
I be on some turnt-up burnt-out shit.
But Nip challenged YG to set it off.
Nah, you rap it!
Hussle said, and YG didnt hesitate.
everybody started looking around like, We should lock the door and finish this.
It is what it is.
It aint no hidden messages when we rapping.
You gon know what the fuck we talkin bout.
With inspiration flowing, the record was done in less than an hour.
When your L.A. rally?
We gon crash your shit!
As soon as they knocked out the vocals, YG turned to Nip.
Im like, Ay, bro … you ready?
What you talkin bout?
You ready for what might come with this?
he said, on a serious note.
We already get backlash.
We already cant do this and this and this, Nip replied.
Lets make it worth something.
They called the song FDT and dropped it on March 30, 2016.
Hip-hops powerful rebuke of the presumptive Republican candidate set the internet ablaze.
as well as aclip of Tahjila Davisspeaking about getting thrown out of the Trump rally.
We tryna touch the people, YG toldBillboardafter the song was released.
We tryna motivate all the young people to vote.
Really take your time cause its important, you feel me?
If not, it could be all bad for us.
FDT represented much more than just two rappers dissing a controversial politician.
