Here Comes the Boom: Rapper Nelly to perform at the Liberty Ball following Donald Trump Inauguration

Image via AP.

The Trump Vance Inaugural Committee has announced who its “special guest” performer at the Liberty Ball will be this Monday, following the inauguration of Donald Trump as the nation’s 47th President — and it’s getting hot in here. 

American rapper and three-time Grammy Award winner Nelly will perform, adding a level of mainstream stardom at inauguration festivities rivaled only by the previously announced performance by Carrie Underwood at the inauguration. Underwood is a Grammy Award winner eight times over. 

Other performers scheduled for inauguration celebrations include ACM Artist of the Decade Jason Aldean, whose controversial hit song “Try that in a small town” became a sort of conservative anthem after its release enraged many Democrats; The Village People, the disco band most famous for its hit song “YMCA;” country music trio Rascal Flatts; rising country music star Parker McCollum; and others. 

While the Inauguration Day performances won’t be short on country music — GOP candidates and elected officials have historically had an easier time identifying allied stars from that genre than others — Nelly is so far the only rapper slated to perform. 

Nelly’s most famous song — “Hot in Herre” — was released in 2002 and, in addition to being a club staple to this day, is a taste of nostalgia for older Millennials and Gen Zers who first experienced the thrill of dancing provocatively in the night club scene. 

Other famous hits include “Air Force Ones,” “Ride Wit Me,” “My Place,” “Here Comes the Boom,” “Over and Over,” “Grillz,” “Body On Me,” and “Pimp Juice.”

Nelly, born Cornell Iral Haynes Jr., first began his musical career with the Midwest hip hop group St. Lunatics. He’s married to Ashanti, a triple platinum artist who, in addition to her own hits, has provided background vocals for Jennifer Lopez’s “Ain’t It Funny,” which landed on the Billboard Hot 100. 

As was the case for Underwood, Trump critics have taken to various social media platforms to lambaste Nelly for accepting the invitation to play at Trump’s inauguration celebration. Some questioned how his wife — a strong Black woman, a demographic that, more than any other, rejected Trump — was OK with his slated performance. Others said they wouldn’t be listening to his songs anymore. Still others speculated that a pretty big check must be involved for him to risk being “cancelled,” a term that refers to artists facing boycotts and other backlash over their views or actions. 

In addition to others, Billy Ray Cyrus will also be performing at the Make America Great Again Victory Rally. While his inclusion hasn’t sparked any notable backlash, it’s probably irking his daughter, pop star Miley Cyrus, who is a vocal Trump critic and publicly supported Trump’s General Election opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris.

Unsurprisingly,  Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Lee Greenwood is in the weekend lineup. His most popular anthem, “God Bless the U.S.A.,” is a staple at conservative events and rallies. According to The New York Times, the song has been blasted at GOP events for at least 40 years, and Trump frequently features it at his rallies. Greenwood will perform at Trump’s swearing-in ceremony and the Make America Great Again Victory Rally.

Also performing at the swearing-in will be “America’s Tenor” Christopher Macchio, who will perform the National Anthem with the U.S. Marine Corps band orchestra and choir. He’s an opera singer from Long Island who studied classical voice at the Manhattan School of Music. He’s not among the biggest names in opera, but he caught Trump’s eye after his late brother, Robert, was reportedly a “big, big fan,” according to Vanity Fair.