DALLAS, TEXAS – AUGUST 06: Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at the Conservative Political … [+] Action Conference (CPAC) at the Hilton Anatole on August 06, 2022 in Dallas, Texas. CPAC began in 1974, and is a conference that brings together and hosts conservative organizations, activists, and world leaders in discussing current events and future political agendas. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
Getty ImagesA new song with a curious title that’s attributed to an artist with a suspicious name appears on a number of Billboard charts this week, which were refreshed by the company today (September 6). The tune looks and sounds like it was created by a very famous politician, but all is not as it seems.
But while the single might be somewhat deceptive in its creative reach and marketing tactics, that hasn’t stopped it from finding a large audience.
“First Day Out” is a recently-released song by a brand new artist named Trump The Don, and it has quickly become a Billboard chart hit. Everything about the cut makes it seem like it was written and performed by the former president, Donald Trump. From the lyrics, which are written from his perspective and which claim his innocence, to the name of the artist, to the song’s artwork, which is just an altered version of his mugshot, everything is all about the one-time leader of the U.S. These hints likely helped the tune perform well this week on the charts, but no, the track isn’t by Trump.
“First Day Out” is actually performed by a musician named Hi-Rez, though he released it under this new moniker. The cut was written by Hi-Rez and rapped by the underground hip-hop artist, but he used artificial intelligence to make it sound just like Trump’s voice. This led many to initially believe it was from the former president when it was first released, just days after Trump surrendered himself and his mugshot was released.
This week, “First Day Out” appears on several Billboard charts, as many ardent fans of Trump rushed to buy the cut, perhaps in some odd show of support. The tune opens at No. 45 on the Digital Song Sales ranking, which lists the bestselling tunes of all genres in America.
It’s impressive that “First Day Out” landed on that 50-spot tally, but its performance on other genre-specific rosters is even more noteworthy. The same cut arrives at No. 5 on both the R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales and Rap Digital Song Sales lists, becoming an instant top 10 smash.
The excitement around “First Day Out” has made it a quick hit, but it’s unlikely that it sticks around. Many right-wing voters bought the cut, and some high-profile influencers in that space championed it. In fact, even Trump’s son, Donald Jr., said it was “hilarious,” giving it his stamp of approval. The track did debut high on several rankings, but tunes like this often come and go very quickly.
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