Philly’s Amber Rose is speaking at the Republican Convention — eight years after hoping Trump wouldn’t be president
The South Philly native says she's speaking at the Republican National Convention next week, just eight years after hoping that Donald Trump wouldn't become president in 2016.
Philadelphia-born TV star Amber Rose says she’s headed to Milwaukee next week to speak at the Republican National Convention.
“It’s True! I’m speaking at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee #MAGA,” Rose shared in a Monday evening post on X, formerly known as Twitter. The text was accompanied by a Trump 2024 sign.
With a former reality TV star at the top of the ticket and a concerted focus on attracting more Black voters, it makes sense that the GOP is calling in Rose — a biracial, millennial celeb who first made headlines as Kanye West’s girlfriend from Philly.
“While this convention will highlight Republican leaders, supporters, industry leaders, and pop culture icons, the real stars of the convention are everyday Americans,” the campaign wrote in an email about the convention, which will run from July 15 to 18.
Rose and the RNC did not immediately respond to The Inquirer’s request for comment, and the calendar on the convention’s website does not yet mention the star’s name. When asked for comment, the Trump team sent Newsweek the link to Rose’s social media announcement.
Here’s what to know about Amber Rose and why she is headed to the convention.
Who is Amber Rose?
The 40-year-old model, author, and TV star was born and raised at Broad and Ellsworth Streets in South Philadelphia. Before moving to New York to pursue modeling, Rose believed that she never belonged in Philly.
“I always felt bigger than the city was. It wasn’t big enough for me,” she shared on Revolt’s Drink Champs podcast in 2017, and said that she came from an area where people “aren’t traditionally attractive.” This comment sparked a lot of online criticism, before Rose issued an apology.
Rose came to prominence in 2008 as a music video model. Then, in 2009, she signed a deal with Ford Models and in 2016, she debuted The Amber Rose Show on VH1.
In October 2015, Rose published her book How to Be a Bad Bitch. The self-help book aims to show readers how to lead a more formidable existence. The book description on Goodreads says: “Amber Rose didn’t let the tough streets of South Philly slow her down when working to achieve her star-studded goals.”
Seen as an advocate for women’s empowerment, Rose organized a “SlutWalk” in Los Angeles “to combat women’s equality issues.”
Rose has also been in two high-profile relationships, first with West and then Wiz Khalifa, the later whom she was married to.
From calling Donald Trump an idiot to speaking at his convention
It’s not yet clear where or when Rose will speak during the convention, but she’s made no secret of vocalizing her support for Trump in recent months.
She made her support social media-official in May, posting a picture on Instagram with Trump and former first lady Melania Trump. Since then, Rose has used her social media platform to further push a pro-Trump agenda, commenting on President Joe Biden’s lackluster debate performance and sharing content on her Instagram story from an account called “unwokeism.”
In a June video on X, Rose is wearing a MAGA hat and says “Donald Trump baby, 2024″ before flashing a MAGA ring to the camera and adding “I’m engaged to the game … MAGA baby.”
However, Rose has not always been a staunch supporter of the former president.
In an August 2016 interview with the Cut, Rose was asked about Trump’s comment that then-Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton received support only from “non-hot” celebrities. “He’s just such an idiot. He’s so weird. I really hope he’s not president,” Rose responded.
Eight years later, Rose is now speaking at the convention where Trump will presumably, for the third time, be named the official presidential nominee of the Republican party.