Singer Teddy Riley of Guy performs in concert onstage at State Farm Arena on March 30, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images.
Teddy Riley Shows Support to Donald Trump After Pardoning His Previously Incarcerated Brother
Singer Teddy Riley of Guy performs in concert onstage at State Farm Arena on March 30, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Teddy Riley is standing beside former president Donald Trump, who’s recently launched his 2024 presidential campaign. On Friday (June 9), the New Jack Swing pioneer went to Instagram and gave Trump support just weeks after his federal indictment. In a post, Trump claimed his ‘innocence’ while Riley, 55, responded in the comments section with muscle emojis.
“I AM AN INNOCENT MAN,” Trump wrote on Instagram. “THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS TOTALLY CORUPT. THIS IS ELECTION INTERFERENCE & CONTINUATION OF THE GREATEST WITCH HUNT OF ALL TIME. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!”
Although once-fans of Riley reacted negatively to the interaction, it appears that the musician’s support of Trump comes after the 45th president pardoned Riley’s older brother Lou Hobbs. Hobbs was previously serving a double life sentence in prison. Riley’s response was criticized, as Trump was indicted on 37 counts last week in a classified documents case.
Riley went on to say that Trump taught him “how to be a free man of this country,” also proclaiming that “[Trump] can do something amazing for us, because he did it for Africa while he was in office.”
Riley’s comments might have caught longtime fans off guard, but he isn’t the first Black artist to vocalize their support for Trump. In 2021, Lil Wayne and Kodak Black were granted pardons from Trump in the last hours of his administration.
\u201cJust had a great meeting with @realdonaldtrump @potus besides what he\u2019s done so far with criminal reform, the platinum plan is going to give the community real ownership. He listened to what we had to say today and assured he will and can get it done. \ud83e\udd19\ud83c\udffe\u201d— Lil Wayne WEEZY F (@Lil Wayne WEEZY F) 1604010504
Trump is running for president for a fourth time against previous rival, current President Joe Biden, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, current Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, and ten other candidates.
