Vice President Kamala Harris and rapper Lizzo joined forces at a campaign rally in Detroit, Michigan on Saturday. But Lizzo didn’t show, and remarkably the show was very short.
Harris, who has been campaigning in advance of the 2024 election, looked exhausted after a 6 minute, 36 second speech. She looked absolutely nothing like the former president Donald Trump, who also addressed a rally in Detroit that day. Trump took the stage for 1 hour and 27 minutes, eluding his audience with his trademark rambling recitations.
Lizzo, the Grammy Award winning rapper whose singles include “Truth Hurts,” stood next to Harris and spoke in her defense but did so on a very short notice. Rather than play, Lizzo had a chance to speak to the audience and provide encouragement for the vice president as well as her pride in Detroit.
“I’m so proud to be from this city,” Lizzo said. “You know, they say if Kamala Harris wins, then the whole country will be like Detroit, okay? Proud like Detroit. Resilient like Detroit. We’re talking about the same Detroit that innovated the auto industry and the music industry, so put some respect on Detroit’s name, okay!?” Lizzo added, briefly addressing Trump’s campaign.
The rally sought to mobilize voters in Michigan, an important swing state Democrats and Republicans are aggressively pushing. Nevertheless, Lizzo didn’t show for a while and some attendees felt let down. Harris and Lizzo nevertheless tried to appeal to their local readers, reminding them of Detroit’s contributions to the country’s industry and culture.
Harris continues to struggle with mainstream acceptance, and depends on celebrity endorsements such as Lizzo’s to get people excited about her cause. Meanwhile, Trump’s prolonged stay and large crowd at his rally speak to his base’s enthusiasm ahead of a competitive race in 2024 between the two candidates.
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