Ty Dolla $ign wants to make America “wavy” again.
The Los Angeles rapper, who launched his new album “Campaign” last week, joined forces with the Hip Hop Caucus’ “Respect My Vote!” campaign to fire up millennials and encourage them to get to the polls in November.
“Wavy” is a slang word used to describe something that is positive, and when he performed at MTV’s “Wonderland” LIVE Show last month, Dolla $ign was surrounded by Donald Trump-like campaign signs that read, “Make America Wavy Again.”
“I’ve been tuning into the election and I think it’s important for my community to vote,” the rapper, whose legal name is Tyrone William Griffin, Jr., told CNN in a recent phone interview. “I’m using my platform to help out a little bit, you know. It’s only right.”
While he says his efforts to get millennials to the polls is non-partisan, the “Blasé” rapper said he personally plans on voting for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.
“Hillary, yeah, she lied about a couple of things, but wouldn’t you rather have somebody who lies like every single human being instead of a racist?” Dolla $ign said.
“We know who to vote for and she’s got a good squad behind her. Let’s get it,” he added.
Dolla $ign said that along with Trump’s criticism of the “Black Lives Matter” movement, he “cannot forget” comments that the Republican presidential nominee made about some Mexican immigrants and his plan to build a massive wall along the US southern border.
A message left with Trump’s campaign seeking comment was not returned.
“To me, it’s 2016 about to be 2017. I can’t believe there’s still a racism factor,” he said, referring to the recent police shooting of Terence Crutcher in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The rapper is hoping that the next president will build on President Barack Obama’s efforts to address criminal justice reform and work to combat police brutality.
Dolla $ign dedicated his 2015 album, “Free TC” to his brother Gabriel “TC” Griffin, who is currently serving a life sentence in California after being convicted of one count of first-degree murder.
Big TC maintains his innocence and Dolla $ign said that proceeds from the album have been dedicated to fight for his brother’s defense.
“I just recently got to go see (my brother) for the first time since hes been in the penitentiary last week with this organization called “Schools not Prisons,” he said. “Hopefully we’ll get him out. God is great.”
The rapper tackles these issues in “Campaign” with the help of Big TC, who is a rapper in his own right, having also appeared on YG’s “My Krazy Life” by recording his vocals straight from prison.
Most recently, TC appears on “Campaign” in the single, “No Justice.”
“‘No Justice’ is a song that (TC) made right off the top of the head and it happened to be on tempo. My brother is really talented,” Dolla $ign said.
“We’re standing for something and it feels good to be able to have my brother on my project,” he added.