Nicky Jam has walked back his endorsement of Donald Trump, upset over a comedian’s comments about Puerto Rico that were made at a Madison Square Garden rally earlier this week.
“The reason I supported Donald Trump was because I thought he was the best for the economy in the United States where a lot of Latinos live, a lot of immigrants who are suffering because of the economy,” the recording artist said, per CNN, in an video posted on his Instagram page.
“Never in my life did I think, that one month later there would be a comedian who would criticize my country and speak poorly of my country. And for that I withdraw my support of Donald Trump. Puerto Rico should be respected.”
In September in Las Vegas, Nicky Jam appeared at a Trump rally with the former president.
A number of musical artists have spoken out against the comments made by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe. In a prelude to Trump’s appearance at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, Hinchcliffe was doing a comedy set and referred to Puerto Rico as “floating island of garbage.”
Figures such as Bad Bunny, Ricky Martin and Jennifer Lopez have expressed their support for Kamala Harris or they have condemned Hinchcliffe’s comments.
After Nicky Jam endorsed Trump at the Las Vegas rally, Mexican rock band Maná removed their collaboration with him from streaming services. “Maná doesn’t work with racists,” the band said on their Instagram page.
In the caption, they said, “For the past 30 years, Maná has supported and defended the rights of Latinos around the world. There is no business or promotion that is worth more than the dignity of our people. That is why today Maná decided to remove its collaboration with Nicky Jam on ‘Pies a Cabeza’ from all digital platforms.”
Lopez and Maná are scheduled to appear with Harris at a rally on Thursday.