Rapper and music producer Polow Da Don got a surprising shoutout from President Donald Trump at a rally in Atlanta. With his campaign trail blazing ahead of the November election, Trump made a recent stop in Georgia, and noticed the well-known musician was in the crowd. “You know Don King used to call me ‘The Don.’ He still does, actually,” the POTUS said to the audience. Born Jamal Fincher Jones, the Atlanta-based producer has worked with some of the biggest names in the music industry. Here’s 5 things to know about him.
1. He has previously shown support for Trump. Polow has publicly backed Donald Trump in the past, and has come under scrutiny not only for his political stance but for other controversies. Having been in the industry for more than two decades, he once referred to himself as the “King of the White girls”. After his most recent shout out from the President, fans on Twitter voiced their disappointment, with one writing, “I’m ashamed of Polow da don. You got too many gems in the culture to go that way.”
2. He has worked with big names across multiple genres. The music industry titan made a name for himself producing hits for the likes of Nicki Minaj, Ciara, Chris Brown, Nelly, and Usher. Some of his biggest chart toppers include Nicki’s career-defining song “Anaconda”, the early 2000s hit “Buttons” by the Pussycat Dolls, and “Love in This Club” by Usher.
3. Polow was part of a group called Jim Crow early in his career. He left college early to pursue a career with his group Jim Crow, and they were signed to Sony Music in 1999. The group released two albums titled “Crow’s Nest” and “Right Quick” however they were shortly dropped by their label. He went on to form a group within the Southern hip hop genre with big names like Timbaland, Sean P, Pastor Troy, G Rock, and Bubba Sparxxx. The group never released any of their own music, and Polow then began producing beats. His earliest beats were used for tracks like “Runaway Love” by Ludacris, thus beginning his career as a producer.
4. His cousin is R&B singer Monica. Polow is related to another big name in Atlanta music: Monica. She recently faced off against her former 90s rival Brandy, 41, in an epic Verzuz battle.
5. Polow has won multiple awards. He has received multiple accolades, including Songwriter of the Year in both 2008 and 2009 at the BMI Annual Pop Awards.
