Fyre Fest scammer buddies up with Donald Trump for presidential race
Remember Billy McFarland, the “entrepreneur” and former Fyre Fest fraudster who scammed festivalgoers by putting on a supposed luxury music festival in 2017 only for it to turn out to be a fraudulent enterprise that saw punters stranded on an island in the Bahamas and earned him prison time after he pleaded guilty to multiple counts of fraud?
Well, according to Rolling Stone, he’s trying to hook US presidential candidate (and fellow convicted fellon) Donald Trump up with rappers, in a bid to reach and appeal to more Black voters during the campaign trail.
Yes, it’s as icky, cynical, and depressingly on brand as it sounds.
McFarland allegedly approached the team of Detroit rapper Icewear Vezzo ahead of Trump’s rally there, while also taking credit for connecting Sheff G and Sleepy Hallow with Trump ahead of a rally in the Bronx.
The connection is hardly surprising as last month, McFarland hinted at his connection with Trump on Instagram, posting a photo with the caption: “Pres’ birthday featuring your new cabinet.”
While McFarland has no official role with Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, he is apparently serving as a liaison with rappers, so that Trump can attempt to gain more votes from the Black community.
According to a Pew Research survey published in May, 77% of Black voters prefer Joe Biden, with 18% leaning toward Trump.
The former president previously earned the support of Kanye West and Lil Wayne, as well as the tacit endorsement of artists like Benny the Butcher and Waka Flocka. During the 2020 election, Trump also gained the support of rapper Lil Pump. However, the latter failed to register to vote...
One source told Rolling Stone that there is a list of hip-hop artists Trump wants to endorse him or even perform at his campaign events. However, “at this time, none of them have.”
“There is nothing more on brand for a convicted felon like Donald Trump than recruiting another convicted felon to join his campaign just in time for the Republican National Convention,” Democratic National Committee spokesperson Alex Floyd told TMZ, “which is shaping up to be just as much of a dumpster fire as Fyre Fest.”
With that in mind and given McFarland’s track record, we’re not holding our breath that he can bring many high-profile names to Trump’s cause.
If you need a further reminder of his trainwreck CV, it was immortalised in two damning documentaries: Fyre Fraud and Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened.
And because once a scammer, always a hardened scammer, pre-sale tickets to the second edition of the music festival, the creatively named Fyre Festival II, have previously sold out – despite the fact that no line-up, venue or dates for the event have been announced.
“Guys, this is your chance to get in. This is everything I've been working towards. Let's fucking go,” McFarland implored when the tickets went on sale.
Fool me once...
