Vallejo community members on Wednesday rallied around rapper LaRussell as he faces backlash over a new song that mentions Adolf Hitler. LaRussell, who was born in Vallejo, released the song called “Heaven Sent” two weeks ago. “Even Martin was heaven sent,” the song goes. “Even Kanye was heaven sent…Epstein, too. We all heaven sent. Adolf, too.” The lyrics sparked outrage online, with criticism flooding social media. Many said the comparison placing Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X alongside Jeffrey Epstein and Hitler is tone deaf and inappropriate. Others argued the message ignores victims and their families. LaRussell’s mom Yvette McDonald, shocked by the outrage, hosted Wednesday’s rally to support her son. “I don’t believe he’s wrong,” she said. “I believe people should take the time, listen to the song and judge for themselves. Stop jumping on the bandwagon.” Journalist, hip-hop historian and Professor Davey D said he understands the intent, but he said it could have been delivered differently. “Heaven sent, I wouldn’t have used it in the context in which he did, but I understood what he was saying. It’s like, look, everything comes from God and you have people who make these crazy decisions,” Davey D said. LaRussell dismissed the backlash as “selective outrage.” In a podcast, he said the lyrics were not meant to support those controversial figures but to reflect artistic expression. Davey D believes some criticism may be fueled by those upset with his recent partnership deal with Roc Nation and people capitalizing on outrage for clicks and profit. “What is convoluting the waters is that there are people who don’t even know him who are now weighing in,” Davey D said. “That crowd of people, who knows where it will take things. It’s giving it a life of its own.” Supporters rallying behind LaRussell, such as Jimelle Mills, said the rapper’s impact on the community is bigger than the backlash, including his impact on the youth and her son. “[My son’s] teacher made sure that he was able to go and meet LaRussell because it was his favorite artist and LaRussell, not even knowing the circumstances of the day, blessed him with a monetary gift,” Mills said. ...read more read less