After his endorsement of Kamala Harris over Donald Trump in the forthcoming election, rapper/activist Dee-1 has encountered significant backlash in the Christian and rap communities.
Dee-1 discussed the criticism during his appearance on the Trackstarz podcast and remained unwavering in his stance.
Reflecting on the criticism, Dee-1 told the podcast, “I laugh at it honestly. We had four years of him [Trump] in office, and the country was more divisive than it’s been in my lifetime.”
He cited the January 6 insurrection as a glaring example, where many rioters justified their actions under the guise of Christianity.
“We lowered the bar so much while he was in office in terms of what we expect from a president,” he added.
Dee-1 stressed that one’s political choices should not define one’s faith, drawing attention to the mounting rifts among Christians.
“Inside the body of Christ, people will go so far as to say you are a Satanist if you are not voting for a Republican. They would say you are not a Christian. It’s impossible to be a Christian,” he expressed. “We all love Jesus, and we can sit here and have different voting preferences without becoming so divisive and toxic.”
The rapper shared personal anecdotes of familial discord, illustrating how political differences strained his relationships.
Despite the backlash, Dee-1 is resolute, believing that his role is facilitating constructive dialogue on these contentious issues.
“It showed me that inside the body, we are broken and we are extremely divided,” Dee-1 observed.
Remaining firm in his decision, Dee-1 argued that voting should reflect personal convictions rather than societal pressures.
“I believe God called me to be a bridge in this world,” he asserted. “There’s a way to have healthy discourse and dialogue, especially within the body of believers, to where we might have different voting preferences for our own reasons.”
Despite harsh criticism, Dee-1 holds no grudge against Trump or his followers.
“I still ain’t got no beef with him. If he wanted to sit down and chop it up, we could do that,” Dee-1 remarked.
In closing, Dee-1 urged unity and respect among Christians, regardless of political leanings.
“It doesn’t have to be all this,” he said. “People just don’t know how God would want us truly operating with people who have opposing views than us.”