People
Ricky Rebel Wears MAGA Gear at Grammys for Closeted Trump Voters
The bisexual singer sparked outrage for his politically charged red carpet attire.
February 11 2019 10:51 AM EST
February 11 2019 11:22 AM EST
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The bisexual singer sparked outrage for his politically charged red carpet attire.
Bisexual musician Ricky Rebel turned heads at the Grammy Awards with a MAGA-themed outfit.
The mostly white, bedazzled ensemble consisted of a navy-blue blazer emblazoned with the slogans "Trump 2020" and "Make America Great Again" and under-the-knee heeled boots, paired with mirrored glasses.
The recording artist is known for being the lead singer of the '90s boy band, No Authority, and was featured in a 1999 Pepsi commercial featuring Aretha Franklin. However, after leaving the boy band, Rebel went on to produce a slew of albums as a solo artist.
In a video posted on his YouTube channel, Rebel stated he is "not sorry" for voting for Donald Trump and that his latest album, The New Alpha, shares an attitude with the current president of the United States: "Donald Trump, to me, represents alpha energy," Rebel proclaimed in a video while wearing his Grammy outfit. "My parents are Republican and they always accepted me for who I am."
Rebel stood by the choice of his Grammys outfit, saying: "I'm not sorry for anything. I do not apologize for voting for who I wanted to vote for. We live in the United States of America. Freedom, that's what it's all about. You're free to vote for whoever you want to, regardless of your skin color, your hair color, your height, or your sexuality."
Rebel sees himself as a representative of conservatives Americans, who feel discriminated against because of their political views: "It is my time to step up and be a voice for the millions of Americans who feel that they have been put into the closet. It's not just my moment, it's a moment for all us. There are millions of us and I am very proud to be a reflection of that."
Rebel is following a controversial trend in Grammys fashion, popularized by Joy Villa, a singer-songwriter, who has worn outfits displaying right-wing ideology to the past three ceremonies. While both singers appear unapologetic for their political fashion choices, many took to social media to criticize them for using the outfits as a publicity stunt.
\u201c@Variety I just Googled Ricky Rebel and Google said \u201cWho?\u201d\u201d— Variety (@Variety) 1549841398