In 2016, Trump dismissed the idea of ​​celebrities attending the event due to a lack of high-profile entertainers willing to attend Donald Trump's inauguration.

"Those so-called 'A' list celebrities all wanted a favor at the Inauguration, but look what they did for Hillary, nothing. I want the people!" Trump wrote on Twitter at the time road.

This time, things seem to be different. Trump's inauguration drew an array of A-list attendees, including some high-profile black and Latino celebrities, as the soon-to-be 47th president showcased his growing standing among communities of color.

Several high-profile athletes, including football player Antonio Brown, boxer Mike Tyson and hockey player Evander Kane, are also expected to attend, according to sources familiar with the attendance list.

The same goes for Billboard chart-topping rappers Rod Wave, Kodak Black and Fivioforeign, with Black and foreign explicitly supporting Trump by attending events and explicitly in their music.

Puerto Rican reggaeton artists Anuel AA and Justin Quiles, who faced backlash after supporting Trump in August, were also on the guest list for Trump's inauguration event , in addition to UFC boxer Jorge Masvidal.

“It will be an ‘amazing’ experience to be with President Trump this weekend for his inauguration,” Anuel said. “He is everything I stand for and will not only rebuild our country, And told me he wanted to help my hometown of Puerto Rico grow and succeed."

UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones, who celebrated with Trump after defending his title at a fight in November, will also be in attendance.

"Attending the Presidential Inauguration is not just to see history, it's to feel history," Jones said in a statement. "It's a celebration of leadership and unity and a reminder of what we can accomplish when we come together."

The celebrity presence not only points to Trump's greater popularity among black and Latino voters, but also shows how much cultural perceptions have changed since his first term, when performing at his inauguration meant Risking career death.

Grammy Award-winning R&B singer Chrisette Michele, who sang with gospel singer Travis Greene during Trump's first inauguration, discussed how she Faced with fierce opposition and how her career never fully recovered. Michelle ultimately lost her album deal and potential paid gigs, and struggled to sell out shows, which she attributes to her performance at the 2017 inauguration.

Michelle told "The Breakfast Club" podcast that the stress of the backlash eventually led to her miscarriage and suicidal thoughts.

"I regret what happened," she said. "I think it was a bad choice."

Carrie Underwood will perform "The Star-Spangled Banner" at this inauguration, and an appearance at any event over the weekend could be a boon to these artists, some of whom are already supporting Trump Emerge among them.

Some Republicans say support for Trump is growing largely because he has become "cool," something he wasn't during his first run for the White House or in his 2020 reelection bid. Charlie Kirk, co-founder of Turning Point USA, which focuses on mobilizing young voters, used Trump's signature "Make America Great Again" hat as evidence of a "cultural reversal."

"Who remembers you wearing this on the streets of New York in 2016? It was open hunting season. If you wore this in 2021, they would hunt you," Kirk said. "When I went to college campuses my last cycle, we ordered hundreds of MAGA hats. Suddenly, all the kids wanted them."

The presidential election results further support this theory, as Trump's improved performance among younger voters, Black voters, and Latino voters created a licensing structure for artists to attract similar demographics to become more vocal in their support of the president-elect.

Georgia-based Waka Flocka Flame is one of the first rappers this election cycle to publicly support Trump. A few days after the election, a meet-and-greet event in Washington, D.C., was canceled because his political views were known to the event venue owner, who quickly denied it.

"I had a meetup event in DC today that was canceled due to some people's opinions... because they harassed a liquor store until they canceled," he wrote on X. "Then they said something about me Doing something wrong because you have an opinion...is this freedom?

But this level of backlash doesn’t appear to have the same impact.

Waka Flocka Flame will not only attend the inauguration, but will also attend the Black Conservatives United's "Presidential Inauguration Ball" fundraiser along with black celebrities. Last year, the organization awarded Trump its "Black Champion of America" ​​award during the event.

On Friday night, Snoop Dogg is expected to headline the inaugural "Crypto Ball" hosted by Trump's incoming artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency czar David Sacks, who previously declared last year that he was opposed to Trump. Trump has “nothing but love.”

It marks a significant shift for the West Coast rapper, who in 2017 released "MACA," a song that satirized Donald Trump and mocked his "Make America Great Again" slogan.

"Some people feel we should make America 'great again,' but the time they are referring to always takes I Back to separation," the rapper said in a statement at the time.