Thomas MacDonald (born September 21, 1988) is a

Canadian Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...

rapper, singer-songwriter, record producer and former

professional wrestler Professional wrestling, often shortened to either pro wrestling or wrestling,The term "wrestling" is most often widely used to specifically refer to modern scripted professional wrestling, though it is also used to refer to real-life wrest ...

. He is known for his

right-wing Right-wing politics is the range of political ideologies that view certain social orders and hierarchies as inevitable, natural, normal, or desirable, typically supporting this position based on natural law, economics, authority, property ...

lyrics and fanbase. His music has been characterized as "

MAGA "Make America Great Again" (MAGA, ) is an American political slogan most recently popularized by Donald Trump during Donald Trump 2016 presidential campaign, his successful presidential campaigns in 2016 and Donald Trump 2024 presidential cam ...

rap", a Trumpist subgenre of

political hip hop Political hip hop (also known as political rap and conscious hip-hop) is a subgenre of hip hop music that emerged in the 1980s as a form of political expression and activism. It typically addresses sociopolitical issues through lyrics, aiming t ...

. He first rose to prominence with the release of his 2017 debut single "Dear Rappers". His 2021 single " Fake Woke" marked his first appearance on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. His 2024 single, "

Facts A fact is a true datum about one or more aspects of a circumstance. Standard reference works are often used to check facts. Scientific facts are verified by repeatable careful observation or measurement by experiments or other means. For exa ...

" (featuring

Ben Shapiro Benjamin Aaron Shapiro (born January 15, 1984) is an American Conservatism in the United States, conservative political commentator, media host, and attorney. He writes columns for Creators Syndicate, ''Newsweek'', and ''Ami Magazine'', an ...

), debuted and peaked at number 16 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and number 42 on the

Canadian Hot 100 The Canadian Hot 100 is a music industry record chart in Canada for songs, published weekly by ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' magazine. It was launched on the issue dated March 31, 2007 as the standard record chart in Canada; a new chart ...

Career

Professional wrestling

During his teenage years, MacDonald worked as a

on the Canadian

independent circuit In professional wrestling, the independent circuit (often shortened to the indie circuit or the indies) is the collective name of independently owned promotions which are deemed to be smaller and more regionalized than major national promotions. ...

, most prominently for the

Edmonton Edmonton is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Alberta. It is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Central Alberta ...

-based promotion Monster Pro Wrestling (MPW). He made his debut in February 2003, in a

dark Darkness is the condition resulting from a lack of illumination, or an absence of visible light. Human vision is unable to distinguish colors in conditions of very low luminance because the hue-sensitive photoreceptor cells on the retina are ...

triple threat match Many types of wrestling matches, sometimes called " gimmick matches" in the jargon of the business, are performed in professional wrestling. Some gimmick matches are more common than others and are often used to advance or conclude a storyline. ...

, which went to a

no contest ''Nolo contendere'' () is a type of legal plea used in some jurisdictions in the United States. It is also referred to as a plea of no contest or no defense. It is a plea where the defendant neither admits nor disputes a charge, serving as an ...

. Throughout the year, he would begin feuding with

Bobby Sharp Robert Sharp (born September 10, 1988) is an active Canadian professional wrestler, better known by his ring name "Lion Warrior" Bobby Sharp. He is currently working for numerous companies across Canada including Atlantic Grand Prix Wrestling, Hi ...

, after another dark match also went to a no contest. The feud concluded in December, when MacDonald defeated Sharp in a triple threat match, which included Brady Roberts. By 2005, MacDonald was a member of the Custom Made Renegades stable, led by Sharp. In a tournament for the newly created MPW Tag Team Championship, MacDonald and Sharp defeated Kris Knight and Shane O'Ryan, but lost to eventual winners the Dead Ringers in the semi-final. MacDonald and Ozz defeated the New Stallions in a #1 contendership match for the tag team championship, but he and O'Ryan fell short to the Dead Ringers. Later that year, MacDonald unsuccessfully challenged Sharp for the MPW Junior Heavyweight Championship; the first match went to a no contest, and the second match saw him win by disqualification, but not the title, as it does not change hands in the event of a disqualification. In a

hardcore match Many types of wrestling matches, sometimes called "gimmick matches" in the jargon of the business, are performed in professional wrestling. Some gimmick matches are more common than others and are often used to advance or conclude a storyline. ...

with Sharp, MacDonald brought a 9 iron golf club which almost tore off his right earlobe by ricocheting off a

turnbuckle A turnbuckle, stretching screw or bottlescrew is a device for adjusting the tension or length of ropes, cables, tie rods, and other tensioning systems. It normally consists of two threaded eye bolts, one screwed into each end of a small metal ...

. After sustaining a number of injuries, and with his appearances in professional wrestling dwindling, MacDonald began to focus more on his music career. His final match was at a Extreme Canadian Championship Wrestling (ECCW) show in November 2009, where he was defeated by the Divine Prophet.

Music

MacDonald started rapping at age 18, but only rose to fame after releasing the single "Dear Rappers" in February 2018. His song "Straight White Male", which was written about MacDonald's belief that straight white men are being demonized, was criticized on social media for its subject matter. In September 2019, MacDonald released the single "Cloned Rappers", in which he rapped that the

Illuminati The Illuminati (; plural of Latin ''illuminatus'', 'enlightened') is a name given to several groups, both real and fictitious. Historically, the name usually refers to the Bavarian Illuminati, an Enlightenment-era secret society founded on 1 ...

are cloning rappers and disposing of the originals. In late 2019, MacDonald was scheduled to be a supporting act for

Falling in Reverse Falling in Reverse is an American rock music, rock band that formed in 2008 by lead vocalist Ronnie Radke. The band's original name was From Behind These Walls, but it was renamed Falling in Reverse shortly after formation. They are currently s ...

's Episode IV Tour before it was cancelled. In 2020, he released 20 singles, including "White Trash", "Sellout", "Best Rapper Ever", "Cancer", and "Angels". In March 2020, MacDonald released the single "Coronavirus", which was written about the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

. In January 2021, MacDonald released the single " Fake Woke", which debuted at number 96 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. After

Eminem Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. Regarded as one of the greatest and most influential rappers of all time, he is credited with popula ...

released a series of

NFT A non-fungible token (NFT) is a unique digital identifier that is recorded on a blockchain and is used to certify ownership and authenticity. It cannot be copied, substituted, or subdivided. The ownership of an NFT is recorded in the blockchai ...

s as part of his "Shady Con" event with

Nifty Gateway Nifty Gateway Studio (“NGS”) is a full-service, digital production studio working with creators and brands to develop and distribute immersive social entertainment and creative experiences onchain. NGS is known for its collaborations with cr ...

, MacDonald purchased one—an Eminem-produced instrumental called "Stan's Revenge"—for $100,000. MacDonald used the instrumental to create his song "Dear Slim", released in May 2021. The song's accompanying music video paid homage to the music video for Eminem's 2000 song " Stan". In June 2021, he released "Snowflakes", which debuted on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 at number 71. The music video featured political commentator

Blaire White Blaire White (born September 14, 1993) is an American YouTuber and conservative political commentator. White’s videos have been centered around social issues such as transgender people and feminism. Early life White described feeling ge ...

as a background dancer. His single "Brainwashed", released in August 2021, peaked at number 89 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. In 2022, MacDonald collaborated with Adam Calhoun to release an album, ''The Brave''. It was the best-selling album of the week in the U.S. upon its release in March 2022, having sold 16,000 copies in the U.S. that week. MacDonald collaborated with Calhoun again in 2023 to release the song "American Flags", which reached number two on the

Digital Songs The Digital Song Sales (previously named Digital Songs and Hot Digital Songs) ranks the best-selling digital songs in the United States, as compiled by Luminate and published by '' Billboard'' magazine. Although it originally started tracking ...

chart in the US, and number eight in Canada. In September 2023, MacDonald and Calhoun released the album, ''The Brave II''. In January 2024, MacDonald collaborated with

conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

political commentator

to release the single "

". On July 14, 2024, he released his single "You Missed". The song is about the attempted assassination of former

president of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal government of t ...

and presumptive Republican nominee of the 2024 U.S. presidential election,

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...

, which occurred the previous day. Released less than 24 hours after the incident, the song's title references the fact that Trump survived. On January 17, 2025, MacDonald released the single "Daddy's Home", featuring comedian

Roseanne Barr Roseanne Cherrie Barr (born November 3, 1952), also known mononymously as Roseanne, is an American actress, comedian, writer, and producer. She began her career in stand-up comedy before gaining acclaim in the television sitcom ''Roseanne'' (19 ...

. The song's title references Trump's second inauguration.

Influences

MacDonald has cited

the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...

Pink Floyd Pink Floyd are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic music, psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experiments ...

Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin were an English rock music, rock band formed in London in 1968. The band comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist-keyboardist John Paul Jones (musician), John Paul Jones and drummer John Bonham. With a he ...

Black Sabbath Black Sabbath are an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward (musician), Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler, and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. After adopting the Black Sabbath name in 1969 (the band ...

Joe Cocker John Robert "Joe" Cocker (20 May 1944 – 22 December 2014) was an English singer known for his gritty, bluesy voice and dynamic stage performances featuring expressive body movements. Most of his best-known singles, such as "Feelin' Alright ...

Janis Joplin Janis Lyn Joplin (January 19, 1943 – October 4, 1970) was an American singer and songwriter. One of the most iconic and successful Rock music, rock performers of her era, she was noted for her powerful mezzo-soprano vocals and her "electric" ...

Marilyn Manson Brian Hugh Warner (born January 5, 1969), known professionally as Marilyn Manson, is an American rock musician. He is the lead singer and the only original member remaining of the Marilyn Manson (band), same-titled band he founded in 1989. Th ...

Tupac Shakur Tupac Amaru Shakur (; born Lesane Parish Crooks; June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor, regarded as one of the greatest and most influential rappers of all tim ...

Aerosmith Aerosmith is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Boston in 1970. The group consists of lead vocalist Steven Tyler, bassist Tom Hamilton (musician), Tom Hamilton, drummer Joey Kramer, and guitarists Joe Perry (musician), Joe Perry and B ...

GG Allin Kevin Michael "GG" Allin (born Jesus Christ Allin; August 29, 1956 – June 28, 1993) was an American punk rock musician who performed and recorded with many groups during his career. His live performances often featured transgressive acts, i ...

Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer and record producer. One of the most prominent figures in hip-hop, he is known for his varying musical style and polarizing cultural and political commentary. After ...

, and

the Offspring The Offspring is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Garden Grove, California, in 1984. Originally formed under the name Manic Subsidal, the band currently consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Dexter Holland, Bryan "Dexter" Holland, ...

as musical influences. His music often discusses controversial social and political topics in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

Public image

MacDonald has created a significant online presence among

ers, becoming one of the most prominent figures on the "MAGA rap" scene. Writing for ''

Vice A vice is a practice, behaviour, Habit (psychology), habit or item generally considered morally wrong in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refer to a fault, a negative character trait, a defect, an infirmity, or a bad or unhe ...

'', Drew Millard described MacDonald as "turgid", and wrote that he rose to fame by "taking the undercooked platitudes of the

Intellectual Dark Web The intellectual dark web (IDW) is a loose affiliation of academics and social commentators who oppose what they perceive as the influence of left wing identity politics and political correctness in higher education and mass media. Individu ...

and filtering them into songs", adding that he "can feel like an unstoppable force of reactionary dumbness". Ariana Thompson of '' Inked'' described MacDonald as "one of the most divisive personas

hip hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...

has ever seen" and wrote that his right-wing fanbase "cling onto every word he utter . In a ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...

'' profile, MacDonald said he wants to "show people I'm not just some brainwashed right-wing zombie." For the ''

Dallas Observer ''Dallas Observer'' is a free digital and print publication based in Dallas, Texas. The ''Observer'' publishes daily online coverage of local news, restaurants, music, and arts, as well as longform narrative journalism. A weekly print issue circ ...

'', Garrett Gravley criticized his songs as "white

victim complex Victim(s) or The Victim may refer to: People * Crime victim * Victim, in psychotherapy, a posited role in the Karpman drama triangle model of transactional analysis * Casualty (person), the victim of an event Films and television * ''The Victim ...

anthems" and wrote that they gave him "status among zoomer Trump supporters as an oracle of sorts".

Personal life

Since 2017, MacDonald has been in a relationship with fellow Canadian rapper and frequent collaborator Nova Rockafeller, who has also directed his music videos. Additionally, the couple have a side project named GFBF. MacDonald struggled with

alcoholism Alcoholism is the continued drinking of alcohol despite it causing problems. Some definitions require evidence of dependence and withdrawal. Problematic use of alcohol has been mentioned in the earliest historical records. The World He ...

for much of his life and in 2017 had a "bad breakdown" that prompted him to begin rehabilitation.

Discography

Studio albums

Mixtapes

EPs

Compilations

Singles

As lead artist

As a featured artist

Notes

References

External links

*
Official YouTube channel
* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:MacDonald, Tom 1988 births Living people Canadian male rappers 21st-century male rappers Canadian YouTubers Musicians from British Columbia YouTube channels launched in 2014 21st-century Canadian rappers Conservative media in Canada Alternative hip-hop musicians Canadian hip-hop record producers Music controversies YouTubers from British Columbia YouTubers from Alberta YouTubers from Los Angeles Canadian male singer-songwriters 21st-century Canadian singer-songwriters 21st-century Canadian professional wrestlers Canadian male professional wrestlers