When Nelly took the stage at Donald Trump’s inauguration, earning a reportedly cool $1.5 million in the process, he set many fans, critics, and some of his fellow artists afire with hot debate. Although some saw it as an utter betrayal of values, Nelly said it was respect for the office of the presidency—irrespective of who sat in that chair.
Among those to comment on the controversy was Trick Daddy, who weighed in on how art, politics, and the almighty dollar intertwined.
Nelly, whose hits include Hot in Herre and Dilemma, justified his decision to perform at the 2017 inauguration, a highly politicized event that fell on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. As his fans voiced disappointment and outrage, Nelly dug in his heels, arguing that his reasons for performing were based on respect for the office of the presidency- not support for Trump himself.
In fact, when Nelly was asked why he chose to perform, he was pretty clear about the reason for his performance:
“This wasn’t about money or politics. It was about honoring the office of the President of the United States.”
He clarified that he was in attendance not to support political parties but to pay respect to democratic processes and to the symbolism attached to the presidency.
Nelly then drew a parallel with military service members who serve whoever is in office, irrespective of their personal political feelings.
“If they can do their job for whoever is in office, I can perform for whoever is in office,” he said.
Although the $1.5 million fee was huge, Nelly was adamant that this was not his motivation. In his mind, the event would separate art from politics and uphold a long-standing tradition.
Not everybody had a view akin to that of Nelly. The social media was awash with condemnations immediately after the performance as several fans berated him for turning his back on the values of people like him. Others even swore never to support his music anymore. The performance timing coincided with Martin Luther King Jr.’s Day, further heightened the backlash.
Critics noted that performing at an event for a figure as divisive as Donald Trump was, in and of itself, a political act, no matter how apolitical Nelly attempted to remain. The move left many fans feeling hurt and confused: How could one of their favorite artists be involved in such a contentious historical moment?
One Twitter user wrote, “Respecting the office doesn’t erase the harm made by the one occupying it, and Nelly should have known better.”.
Enter Trick Daddy, who recently added his voice to the conversation on January 24, 2025, during a radio broadcast for 103.5 The Beat Miami. While acknowledging the backlash, Trick Daddy pointed out the complexity of navigating politically charged events as an artist.
“People forget that entertainers are human too,” he said. “They’ve got their reasons for doing what they do, and sometimes, it’s not as simple as it looks from the outside.”
He said Nelly balanced that artistic integrity against the ultimate press of public perceptions:
“At the end of the day, Nelly did what he thought was right. Whether you agree or not, he stood by it, and you gotta respect that.”
Nelly’s decision to perform at Trump’s inauguration speaks to a greater argument about the place of entertainers within politically sensitive spaces. Can artists ever really separate their work from politics, or does every performance carry an implicit message, especially in today’s hyper-connected and highly opinionated world?
For Nelly, the answer was obvious. He said he was disappointed that his decision was being viewed as an endorsement of Trump rather than a tribute to the institution of the presidency.
“I’m not here to advocate for Trump or anybody else,” he said in a candid interview. “I’m here to perform. That’s my job.”
Despite the uproar, Nelly’s story brings into perspective a lot of challenges that many artists have in balancing personal conviction with professional obligation. The criticism, though fierce, shows the determination he had not to alter his values if it entailed controversy.
As Trick Daddy said,
“You don’t have to agree with what he did, but you can’t deny that he owned his choice. That’s what being an artist is about-doing what feels right to you, even when it’s not the popular thing.”