A sense of calm—celebration, even—returned to Baltimore on Friday, after State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby announced that there was probable cause to file criminal charges against the six police officers involved in the arrest of Freddie Gray. The city had suffered through a week marked by rioting, looting, tense protests, and a state of emergency.
The past week also saw (as do all news cycles that involve police and deaths of black men) a fair amount of dumb, useless commentary on race relations in America. A leading candidate for dumbest, most useless such commentary is—it should go without saying—from maybe-but-probably-not-though Republican presidential contender and reality TV star Donald Trump.
Really makes you think.
The fact that Trump said or tweeted something silly comes as no surprise. But this time was unique in that it led to a brief Twitter war (Skirmish? Conflict? Air strike?) between the business magnate and a pair of hip-hop artists.
Philadelphia rapper (and Nicki Minaj’s lover) Meek Mill weighed in accordingly:
Waka Flocka Flame (who, much like Trump, is also a fake presidential candidate) was more succinct:
Great moments in American discourse.
Trump doesn’t have the best relationship with the broader community of American rappers. He threatened legal action against Pittsburgh rapper Mac Miller after Miller’s song “Donald Trump” became a YouTube hit.
Also, there was this: