Nelly recently addressed criticism surrounding his past performances at official events for former President Donald Trump during an interview on Hot 97, clarifying that his appearances were not political endorsements.
“Where did you get pro-Donald?” Nelly questioned. “What you had was respect for the office. It’s crazy how people spin narratives to fit whatever they’re against. Instead of looking at what a brother actually did or said, they make it something else. Nobody’s doing that anymore.”
The St. Louis rapper emphasized that his presence at such events stemmed from respect for the position of president—not an alignment with Trump or his policies.
“I never endorsed any president,” he explained. “I don’t even agree with everything my wife does—so why would I agree with everything a president does?”
Nelly also came to the defense of fellow hip-hop icon Snoop Dogg, who has faced similar political scrutiny. He highlighted the work they’ve both done in underserved communities over the years.
“Me and Snoop have been working in the community for over 20 years,” Nelly said. “I’ll put what we do—through our nonprofits and the Black families we employ—up against anybody talking trash online with no real stats to back it up.”
In a particularly pointed moment, Nelly appeared to reference Vice President Kamala Harris without mentioning her by name, calling out what he sees as a double standard in how Black public figures are treated.
“We’re Black men married to beautiful Black women, raising Black children. That should be inspiring—but some people have a problem with it,” he said. “Maybe because the prosecutor—who probably locked up more Black folks than we’ve helped—didn’t win the election.”
Nelly closed his comments by distancing himself from partisan politics altogether. “I didn’t campaign for anyone,” he said. “I don’t tell people who to vote for. I just respect and love this country—top to bottom, good and bad.”
Source: Hot 97
