Hip-Hop Calls Out President Trump for Telling Protesters “When the Looting Starts, the Shooting Starts” Following George Floyd’s Killing

Hip-hop is fed up with President Donald Trump and many rappers and producers are bringing attention to his recent tweets about protestors following the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, who died at the hands of police in Minneapolis earlier this week.

Early Friday morning (May 29), President Trump jumped on Twitter to share what many deemed insensitive and inappropriate thoughts about the predominately Black protestors in Minneapolis, who began looting as they challenged the officers and officials in the midwestern city.

"I can’t stand back & watch this happen to a great American City, Minneapolis," the President initially tweeted. "A total lack of leadership. Either the very weak Radical Left Mayor, Jacob Frey, get his act together and bring the City under control, or I will send in the National Guard & get the job done right....."

However, in a follow-up message, he referred to the protestors as "thugs" and promoted the notion of looting protestors being shot. "....These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won’t let that happen," Trump continued. "Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!."

Members of the rap community quickly responded to President Trump's tweet, questioning why he is glorifying the killing of unarmed Black people while also asking the CEO of Twitter, Jack Dorsey, to hold the president accountable.

"Why is the president glorifying killing unarmed black people SMFH," Russ wrote.

Producer Cardo tweeted, "Fuck trump ole cry baby ass bitch."

"This MF said.. 'When the looting starts, the shooting starts...' Unbelievable," tweeted Ice-T.

Questlove also said, "It’s time to do the right thing @jack. Lives are in danger. Suspend his account," specifically mentioning Dorsey's Twitter handle.

Twitter issued a public interest notice on Trump's second "thugs" tweet, preventing it from being seen on his timeline unless the "view" prompt is clicked. "This Tweet violates our policies regarding the glorification of violence based on the historical context of the last line, its connection to violence, and the risk it could inspire similar actions today," the platform said.

Producer Mike Dean thanked the social media platform for enforcing their policy against tweets promoting violence.

"Thank you @jack," Dean wrote.

President Trump's tweets come days after a national uprising transpired following video footage surfacing on the internet of George Floyd being detained by a White Minneapolis police officer, who had his knee pressed into Floyd's neck as he was pinned to the ground. In the 10-minute clip that has been circulating on social media platforms and media outlets, the man can be seen and heard telling the officer, who was accompanied by other members of law enforcement that did not intervene, that he cannot breathe. The officer, who received pleas from onlookers to let Floyd off the ground, did not budge, nor did he remove his knee from the man's neck. It's uncertain if charges will be filed against the officers involved in Floyd's killing. All four officers have been fired from the Minneapolis Police Department.

George Floyd later died and his death has sparked a response of frustration and outrage from the hip-hop community and citizens alike.

See 15 Great Hip-Hop Albums With One Weak Song

Aquemini, Outkast

Weak Song: "Mamacita"

Outkast's Aquemini built upon the duo's track record of delivering cohesive bodies of work and received overwhelming praise from the rap community upon hitting shelves. However, this posse cut, which includes an insufferable hook and uninspired production, results in it being a rare throwaway from Big Boi and André 3000.

Blank Face LP, ScHoolboy Q

Weak Song: "Big Body"

ScHoolboy Q avoided the sophomore jinx with his Blank Face LP, which saw the TDE star deliver one of the superior releases of the year. However, this collaborative effort featuring Tha Dogg Pound and produced by Tyler, the Creator is an outlier that slightly misses the mark.

Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood, DMX

Weak Song: "The Omen (Damien II)"

After running the table with his debut It's Dark and Hell Is Hot, DMX returned with this historic sophomore offering. Peaking at No. 1 on the charts—making him the first rap artist to reach Billboard's summit twice in the same calendar year—the album was another tour de force, outside of this tepid Marilyn Manson-guested sequel to "Damien."

Graduation, Kanye West

Weak Song: "Drunk & Hot Girls"

Kanye West's trifecta of classics was completed with Graduation, an album that captured the Louis Vuitton Don at his apex. Despite all of the firepower on the album, this debacle of a record remains one of the most unforgivable musical contributions of Kanye's career.

In My Lifetime, Vol. 1, Jay-Z

Weak Song: "I Know What Girls Like"

Jay-Z's achieved critical acclaim with Reasonable Doubt, however, the same cannot be said for commercial success. This led to the Roc-A-Fella founder straying outside of his comfort zone on his sophomore album, resulting in this odd collaboration with Lil Kim and Diddy that samples “I Know What Boys Like” by punk band The Waitresses.

Life Is Good, Nas

Weak Song: "Summer on Smash"

Adversity seems to bring out the best in Nas, as his divorce from ex-wife and R&B star Kelis inspired one of the stronger efforts of his career. Nearly immaculate from beginning to end, Nas' penchant for pedestrian club bangers rears its head with this Swizz Beatz-produced number, resulting in the album's lone sore spot.

Lord Willin', Clipse

Weak Song: "Ego"

Pusha-T and Malice brought coke rap back to the forefront with this high-powered debut, which is stacked with a mixture of street anthems and catchy club bangers. One selection that sticks out like a sore thumb is this number, which is built around a subpar Neptunes beat that pales in comparison to the other instrumentals on the album.

My Krazy Life, YG

Weak Song: "Me & My Bitch"

YG exceeded expectations with this debut album, which established the Compton native as one of the leaders of the New West. Comprised of a murderer's row of tracks, one selection that throws off the groove is this Tory Lanez-assisted offering, which lacks the punch of other collaborations on the album.

Nothing Was the Same, Drake

Weak Song: "305 to My City"

Nothing was the same after the release of Drake's third studio album, which marked his coronation as the bonafide king of mainstream rap. Comprised of some of his most refined work to date, the album's sole misstep comes in the form of this offering, which is ruined by the repetitive instrumental and producer Detail's jarring wails.

Ready to Die, The Notorious B.I.G.

Weak Song: "Friend of Mine"

The arrival of The Notorious B.I.G. and this landmark debut album challenged the West Coast's firm grip on the Billboard charts. Representing B.K. to the fullest with timeless singles, lyrical darts and conceptual cuts, Biggie hit on all cylinders, minus this unremarkable cut.

Stillmatic, Nas

Weak Song: "Braveheart Party"

With his back against the wall, Nas reminded listeners of his pedigree with the release of his fifth solo studio album, Stillmatic, one of his best works. However, a weak beat and hook on "Braveheart Party" results in the song being a snoozer and an automatic skip for even the most die-hard Esco fan. After the album dropped, featured artist Mary J. Blige reportedly requested that the song be removed from future CD pressings (it doesn't appear on streaming services, either).

Teflon Don, Rick Ross

Weak Song: "Number One"

Rick Ross' boss status was confirmed with this impressive long player, which saw the MMG general taking a victory lap alongside some of the biggest names in rap. One of the best curators in the game, Rozay's made a rare error in judgement by allowing the out-of-place "Number One" on the album's track list. The Diddy and Trey Songz-featured track would've been a much better fit on Dirty Money's Last Train to Paris, which dropped that same year.

The Black Album, Jay-Z

Weak Song: "Justify My Thug"

Billed as the ultimate swan song, this collection contained some of Jay-Z's most transparent testimonials and masterful lyrical performances. But Madonna's presence, along with DJ Quik's production, on this selection throws the proceedings off slightly, with many listeners pegging it as the weakest link on the otherwise pristine album.

The Blueprint, Jay-Z

Weak Song: "Jigga That Nigga"

The debate surrounding which Jay-Z album is his best is one of the more heated topics among rap fans. However, the presence of this polarizing record is usually the deciding factor in determining the pecking order between The Blueprint and Hov's seminal debut, Reasonable Doubt. And with good reason—its beat is a glitzy contrast to the album's soulful feel.

The Documentary, The Game

Weak Song: "Special"

In 2005, The Game rejuvenated West Coast hip-hop with this stellar debut. The one flaw that keeps the album from flawlessness is this Needlz-produced duet with Nate Dogg, which includes one of the late crooner's more lackluster performances and leaves much to be desired.