Nelly explains decision to perform at Donald Trump's inauguration

Photo by Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for Baby2Baby

Nelly is set to perform at President Donald Trump‘s inauguration Monday, an opportunity he considers an “honor” despite what critics say.

“If you follow what I do, this shouldn’t even be an argument,” Nelly said to podcaster Willie D Live. “He’s the president. He won. This isn’t a campaign—this isn’t the RNC.”

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“I’m not doing this for money. I’m doing this because it’s an honor,” he continued. “I respect the office. It don’t matter who is in office. The same way that our men and women, our brothers and sisters who protect this country have to go to war and put their lives on the line for whoever is in office. If they can put their life on the line for whoever’s in office, I can damn sure perform.”

He added Trump should not be defined by his past, noting, “If my past was what was going to prevent me from winning today, I wouldn’t be here.”

“I’m not saying that he ain’t got some f***** up ways, that’s why I’m not telling you who to vote for,” Nelly said. “What I’m saying is that he’s the president of the United States. He’s not the candidate for the United States—he’s the president. He won.”

Soulja Boy, Rick Ross and Snoop Dogg, who posted a clip in 2017 saying he’d “roast” any artist who was willing to perform at Trump’s inauguration, also received backlash for performing at the Crypto Ball celebrating Trump being sworn into office.

“They paid me a bag. [Barack] Obama ain’t never put no money in my f****** pockets, n****. Kamala [Harris] ain’t never put no money in my f****** pockets, n****. Trump put money in my pockets, n****,” Soulja said of his performance. “It wasn’t even a Trump event, Trump wasn’t even there.”