President Biden’s re-election campaign has utilized Kendrick Lamar’s attacks on Drake to criticize former President Donald Trump in a TikTok video. The video features captions from Lamar’s song “Euphoria” overlaid on images of Trump, with insults directed towards the former president. The lyrics were not edited, and a portion of Lamar’s shots at Drake can still be heard in the video. The diss track from Lamar towards Drake stemmed from a feud between the two artists, with both releasing songs about each other in recent days.
The controversy between Lamar and Drake started after Drake released the song “First Person Shooter,” which included J. Cole rapping about Drake, Lamar, and himself as the “big three.” Lamar did not appreciate the comparison and responded to Cole in his own song “Like That” in March. The tension between Lamar and Drake has been ongoing for years, but it escalated with these recent releases. The Biden campaign has incorporated this feud into their attack on Trump, using it as a way to criticize the former president through social media platforms like TikTok.
Despite Biden signing a bill into law that requires TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to divest due to its ties to the Chinese government, the Biden campaign has stated that they will continue to use the platform. A campaign representative mentioned that in the current media landscape, it is essential to reach voters where they are, including platforms like TikTok. The campaign views this as part of their effort to engage young voters and has mentioned the use of enhanced security measures to ensure the safety of their content. The Trump campaign has not yet responded to the Biden team’s use of TikTok for their re-election campaign.
The use of Kendrick Lamar’s lyrics in the Biden campaign’s video highlights the creative ways in which political campaigns are reaching voters through social media platforms. By incorporating popular culture and music into their messaging, the campaign aims to connect with a younger demographic and engage them in the political process. This approach reflects the changing landscape of political communication and the importance of using various tools to reach voters in today’s digital age.
The TikTok video posted by the Biden campaign signals a shift in how campaigns are utilizing social media to reach voters. By tapping into popular culture and music, political campaigns can make their messages more relatable and engaging to a broader audience. The incorporation of Kendrick Lamar’s lyrics in the video underscores the campaign’s efforts to connect with young voters and use creative means to convey their message. This approach reflects a growing trend in political communication towards leveraging popular culture to reach and engage voters in new ways.
The Biden campaign’s decision to use TikTok despite the recent legislation mandating ByteDance’s divestment due to its ties to the Chinese government highlights the campaign’s commitment to reaching voters through various platforms. By utilizing TikTok as a way to engage young voters and showcase their content, the campaign aims to maximize its outreach and connect with a diverse audience. This strategy demonstrates the campaign’s adaptability and willingness to use innovative methods to reach voters where they are. The use of TikTok in this context shows how political campaigns are evolving to leverage different platforms and technologies to communicate their message effectively.
