“Russ isn’t white” - Internet reacts to viral “white rapper Mount Rushmore” post
Earlier this month, graphic designer Shawn Vandergriff shared an image to Facebook titled "The White Rapper Mount Rushmore," garnering reactions from netizens.
The design featured Eminem, Mac Miller, Paul Wall, and Russ, all placed as figureheads, seemingly resembling the historic figures on Mt. Rushmore in South Dakota, United States.
The reported AI-generated image quickly went viral, with users re-posting and sharing the same across major social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram.
These posts have since sparked a massive debate amongst the hip-hop community on the inclusion and omission of various Caucasian rappers. Even Russ weighed in on the debate, posting screenshots to X, stating:
"Someone with a Facebook tell me how insane the comment section is."
Several users were seen debating the accuracy of this lineup, which suggests Eminem, Mac Miller, Paul Wall, and Russ, are the best "white rappers" to ever exist.
One individual was seen criticizing the illustration's inclusion of Russ, claiming he "isn't white."
"Russ isn’t white, perfect example of someone being considered 'white passing' where they can reap of benefits of appearing white, but they’re not," they said.
More reactions followed from users sharing their critiques on the viral "White Rapper Mount Rushmore" post.
"Remove everyone except Mac Miller and put Yeat, Yung Lean, MGK, and Post Malone," one user suggested.
"Em, Logic, NF, and Mac Miller are the correct answers," one user claimed.
"Replace Mac Miller with Slug from Atmosphere, and replace Russ with just about any other white rapper with more than 1 album," said another.
X users were also seen praising the inclusion of Eminem in the viral "White Rapper Mount Rushmore" post.
"Not a single complaint about Eminem in these comments, so yall do recognize his goat status," one individual cited.
"I feel like Eminem need a mountain of his own. Just so it’s clear there’s a huge gap," an Eminem fan stated.
"Eminem lookin’ like he carved the whole thing himself out of frustration. Russ up there like he produced the mountain too. This really the most collaborative rap sculpture ever made," added another.
A few individuals humorously requested for the inclusion of Canadian artist Tom MacDonald.
"One of them getting replaced by Tom Macdonald," a user added.
"Where is your a** at bro? @IAMTOMMACDONALD," said another.
Machine Gun Kelly responds to viral "The White Rapper Mount Rushmore" post
A day after the viral post began trending on social media, Machine Gun Kelly took to X to share his opinion on him not being included in the "White Rapper Mount Rushmore" post.
The image replaces past United States presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln, with AI-stone renders of Eminem, Mac Miller, Paul Wall, and Russ.
MGK's X post seemingly found him claiming his exclusion from the Mt. Rushmore list was "blasphemy".
Kelly also re-posted a video of him freestyling during a guest appearance on Gillie Da Kid and Wallo267’s YouTube series MILLION DOLLAZ WORTH OF GAME in August.
"I made 10 mil with someone, and we ain’t talking now/ Fu*k the money, I just want the loyalty we talked about. It’s no other side, it is only us/ I get cross-eyed watching y’all switch up," MGK rapped.
While Machine Gun Kelly did recently move to different genres, exploring Punk and Pop, the Cleveland native initially started his career in hip-hop, achieving his first No.1 spot in 2015.
MGK's sophomore studio album, General Admission, was distributed by Diddy's Bad Boy Records on October 16, 2015. The project went on to debut at the top of Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
More recently, MGK welcomed a baby girl, in March, with ex-partner Megan Fox. The rapper, now father of two, also has a teenage daughter named Casie from a previous relationship.
