Charlie Kirk on Ben Carson's Rap Ad, Student Loan Crisis, and Conservative Censorship on Campus
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Charlie Kirk on Ben Carson's Rap Ad, Student Loan Crisis, and Conservative Censorship on Campus
Charlie Kirk defends Ben Carson's controversial rap radio ad targeting millennial voters, arguing conservatives shouldn't cede entire music genres to the left. Kirk draws attention to luxury rap's underlying message of wealth and success, contrasting it with government dependency narratives. He also exposes how Eureka College, Ronald Reagan's alma mater, allegedly blocked conservative groups from organizing on campus, and explains why the federal government, not big business, created the student loan crisis affecting an entire generation of young Americans.
Ben Carson's Rap Ad: Reaching Millennials Through Hip-Hop
Charlie Kirk weighed in on Ben Carson's controversial rap radio ad designed to attract millennial voters. While acknowledging the ad might seem a bit cheesy or corny, Kirk defended the tactic, questioning why conservatives should allow the left to dominate entire genres of music. He pointed out that figures like Jay-Z and Kanye West, who are traditionally left-wing, successfully used rap and hip-hop to positively influence Barack Obama's candidacy.
Kirk agreed with the observation that luxury rap carries an inherently conservative message. Unlike the narrative of settling for government assistance, rap music celebrates wealth, success, and entrepreneurship. Artists like Jay-Z, Drake, and Rick Ross consistently talk about being wealthy and successful—messages that align more closely with conservative values of individual achievement than the left's dependency narratives.
Setting aside the explicit language often found in rap, Kirk noted that much of the genre centers on individuals from impoverished backgrounds discussing their desire for better lives. He emphasized that these communities want to improve their livelihoods, making Ben Carson's use of this popular genre to engage them a smart strategy. The only improvements needed, Kirk joked, would be removing the misogyny and violence from the genre.
Eureka College Blocks Conservative Groups
Kirk addressed accusations that Eureka College—Ronald Reagan's alma mater—was not allowing conservative groups to form on campus. He confirmed familiarity with the situation, noting that Turning Point USA has a vibrant chapter at the college. Kirk characterized this as another example of left-wing academics using their institutional power to block conservative organizations from campus.
He observed that college administrators claim to be tolerant of different opinions, but only as long as people agree with them. Their diversity bumper stickers promote diversity in all aspects except diversity of thought. Kirk found it particularly disgraceful that an institution that should honor its conservative heritage would disallow conservative groups from organizing on campus—a clear example of intolerance from the self-proclaimed tolerance crowd.
The Student Loan Crisis: A Game of Loans
Kirk tackled the student loan crisis affecting the majority of millennials, calling it a "game of loans"—a play on the popular television show Game of Thrones. He revealed a striking statistic: ninety-three percent of all student loans issued last year came from the federal government. Kirk emphasized that big government, not big business, created the student loan crisis in America.
The situation represents a financially catastrophic reality for young people. Kirk stressed that students aren't going into debt because of big business or Wall Street bankers, but because of bureaucrats in Washington D.C. who created unnatural market interactions. Young people are borrowing massive amounts of money to study subjects that don't matter and pursue jobs that don't exist—an equation guaranteeing a generation perpetually underwater financially. He noted that student loans outpaced inflation yet again last year.
Solutions to the Student Loan Problem
When asked about solutions, Kirk advocated for removing the government from the student loan business entirely as a long-term goal. As an immediate step, he suggested allowing young people to select three-year degrees instead of four-year degrees, which would cut college costs by twenty-five percent right away.
Kirk argued that introducing a middleman who would make responsible lending decisions could prevent absurd situations like someone borrowing $100,000 to study impractical subjects. He called for more free market-centric solutions when addressing student loans, emphasizing that the current federal involvement helps neither taxpayers nor students. Colleges continue raising their costs because they know students can pay in full, and students can pay in full only because the federal government keeps subsidizing their college advancement—a cycle that perpetuates the problem.
