President Donald Trump spoke out today about the incarceration of recording artist Rakim Mayers, known publicly as A$AP Rocky, tweeting that he would “see what we can do about helping A$AP Rocky,” after speaking with Kanye West.
Behind the scenes, the president, himself a longtime pop-cultural icon, has been working with a host of allies to free rapper and fashion icon A$AP Rocky.
It’s gone missed by the mainstream press, but Trump world has been advocating for the popular artist since his imprisonment.
Just spoke to @KanyeWest about his friend A$AP Rocky’s incarceration. I will be calling the very talented Prime Minister of Sweden to see what we can do about helping A$AP Rocky. So many people would like to see this quickly resolved!
How A$AP Rocky’s situation reached the White House is a story in itself.
On July 9, prominent conservative Ali Alexander, who owns a significant stake of Culttture, tweeted his distress over Sweden’s imprisonment of A$AP Rocky and the inhumane conditions he was experiencing. Alexander announced he would be informing both the White House and the State Department (Alexander tweeted out a picture of him at the State Department building) about the situation. He has said he had been monitoring the situation for days when video surfaced of Afghan immigrants harassing Rocky and his entourage.
Alexander was recently at the White House for meetings on “big tech censorship” and the historical “Social Media Summit,” which hosted more digital influencers than any event prior.
Alexander is not only a political consultant who has worked on over 100 campaigns, but he was the only person Kanye West had retweeted for an extended period of time. West shared clips from Alexander’s prolific Periscope livestreams. Alexander is also an activist who is best known for his work inside of the modern-day tea party movement, stopping 2018 midterm election fraud in Florida, and advocating for more than 60 Covington Catholic families. Alexander has also attempted to stem censorship in Silicon Valley, meeting with Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and other executives at major big tech corporations.
Not gonna lie, I’ve been a little distraught over Sweden’s imprisonment of A$AP Rocky
Inhumane conditions
Disgusting — I will be communicating this to the White House and State Dept
“I’m calling on the State Department to step up their efforts,” Alexander said on Periscope back on July 9. “I’m calling on President Trump to personally intervene.”
During an impassioned livestream where he outlined some of the abuses Rocky was suffering, Alexander said no American should be treated like this. He pointed out that Sweden was treating its immigrants better than a black American rapper.
“I believe because now he’s been tortured, President Trump ought to send a plane and retrieve him,” said Alexander. “And if their ambassador can’t get him out in 48 hours, expel the ambassador.”
Alexander said he would use his influence inside of both Hollywood and the nation’s capital to relieve Rocky’s condition.
On July 9, rapper Nicki Minaj also called for A$AP Rocky to be freed from imprisonment in Sweden.
I performed in Jamaica before & when i got off the stage I was surrounded by police with guns drawn. They were ready 2 take me to jail b/c they said I forgot to bleep a couple curses…. I could make one mistake & go to jail in a diff country where women have no rights. #FreeAsap
On July 10, U.S. Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell tweeted that Rocky was being “wrongly held” and “acted in self-defense.”
It is clear after watching *all* the videos and hearing from the witnesses that #ASAPRocky is being wrongly held. He acted in self-defense. The context is crucial. #FREEASAPROCKY cc: @robertcobrien
On July 13, CJ Pearson urged the Trump Administration and the State Department to help get A$AP Rocky released “from a Swedish prison – where he is being held under false pretenses.”
We can confirm that Pearson made contact with the State Department and they said the wheels were already moving.
Tonight, I am urging the Trump Administration – along with the @StateDept – to help facilitate the immediate release of @asvpxrocky from a Swedish prison – where he is being held under false pretenses – and #BringASAPHome.
Have reached out to allies both in the WH and at State.
On July 14, the State Department announced that it was raising concerns about the arrest and detention of A$AP Rocky, closely monitoring the situation, and working to make sure the rapper is treated fairly.
Alexander and his supporters celebrated the intervention of the State Department in the case.
Huge victory for me and my supporters.
I’ve spoken with the Trump administration and the State Dept. And my friends in Hollywood.
All hands are on deck. This evening, State Dept publicly confirmed it’s placing pressure on Sweden.
On July 15, filmmaker Robby Starbuck, who has ties to the music industry, announced he had also spoken to someone at the Trump administration about the need to put pressure on Sweden to “do the right thing” in the case.
I’ve spoken to the Trump administration about @asvpxrocky’s case and they’re putting pressure on Sweden to do the right thing. They’re concerned with how Rocky has been treated. Rocky defended himself, jailing him without charges is insane. #FreeRockyASAPhttps://t.co/xoLcRKM8Xo
On July 16, Pastor Darrell Scott announced that he and Kareem Lanier who aide the president on black community issues were working “behind the scenes” with A$AP Rocky’s manager and lawyer and the White House to help secure the rapper’s release.
Myself and @realkareemdream have been quietly working very hard behind the scenes for the past week with the White House and A$ap Rocky’s manager and lawyer to secure his release and return home. The President is aware of our progress, and is in full support.
On July 18, Axiosreported that Jared Kushner was contacted by Kim Kardashian West about the situation and informed the White House.
Thank you @realDonaldTrump , @SecPompeo, Jared Kushner & everyone involved with the efforts to Free ASAP Rocky & his two friends. Your commitment to justice reform is so appreciated 🙏🏼🤞🏼 https://t.co/Ym1Rzo5Z6c
— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) July 18, 2019
Alexander thankedKanye Westand Kim Kardashian for the advocacy work they do.
Pearson thanked Cernovich for the acknowledgment and welcomed “any and all efforts that will most expeditiously free wrongfully imprisoned American citizen, @asvpxrocky. And I appreciate the efforts of others who have spoken up on this issue, including @ali and @robbystarbuck.”
Appreciate it, Mike. I welcome any and all efforts that will most expeditiously free wrongfully imprisoned American citizen, @asvpxrocky. And I appreciate the efforts of others who have spoken up on this issue, including @ali and @robbystarbuck
Alexander made a statement on Periscope about the extensive behind the scenes work he and others did to escalate A$AP Rocky’s case to the State Department and the White House.
“A lot of you guys know some of my friends in Hollywood and so we tapped them and made sure that everyone was aware because some of even A$AP Rocky’s friends weren’t aware of what they could do,” said Alexander. “I was really happy to tell my friends in Hollywood what the pressure points were, and they tapped their own networks. Even overseas, we had stuff happening with the Swedish government.”
Alexander also credited his friends and viewers for making calls on behalf of A$AP Rocky.
On July 19, Trump validated what Alexander and Scott had tweeted. He was aware of the situation and had not only greenlighted his administration to aide Rocky, but First Lady Melania Trumpplayed a role too.
It appears Alexander, Scott, the Wests, Kushner and even the First Lady had tugged the president’s ear.
We asked Alexander what he could leak to us, a publication he has a financial stake in. He replied, “A$SP Rocky is going to be freed because of the colliding of three friend groups. I worked with many people in Hollywood on this issue. Rocky and I have more than a few mutual friends. All I did was empower them and make sure the Trump administration understood what was happening. I’m glad they directed the State Department to do the right thing. The public statements you’re reading all follow serious work already done. Media will mangle this story and never get it correct because they lack sources. It took lots of people so lots of people deserve credit. That’s the point of “power mapping” when you’re running an influence campaign. I’d like to thank Black Twitter for making those initial videos go viral. They caused me to leap into action both in public and private.”
Pressed further for more names all Alexander would tell us, “Culttture shouldn’t be the publication to release that but let’s make sure we re-blog anything that’s public. I don’t want to out any of these CEOs, producers or powerbrokers in Hollywood who got involved.”
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