Flo Rida was hit by a wave of criticism on Friday after defending his decision to perform at the Great American State Fair in Washington DC, a 16-day event linked to Donald Trump that has already prompted several artists to pull out of its concert line-up.
The controversy began when the 'Low' rapper, 46, was announced earlier this week as one of the headliners for the fair's concert series on the National Mall, scheduled from 25 June to 10 July. The event is being organised by Freedom 250, a non-profit tied to Trump and billed as part of a nationwide celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. What appeared at first glance to be a glossy, nostalgia-heavy bill featuring Martina McBride, Young MC, Vanilla Ice, Bret Michaels and others quickly turned fractious once the political connection became clear.
