Conservative performer Lynette “Diamond” Hardaway, best known as half of the pro-Trump duo Diamond and Silk, has died at age 51.
The news was shared on the duo’s Twitter account and by former President Donald Trump, who wrote on Truth Social that Hardaway’s death was “really bad news for Republicans and frankly, ALL Americans.” The cause of death was not announced.
The real-life sisters became popular among conservatives in the lead-up to Trump’s 2016 election for their minstrel-style performances, which saw them leaning into Black stereotypes and fawning over Trump at rallies and conservative events, as well as content they published online.
At times, this included rapping, finger-wagging, neck-twisting and snappy one-liners.
Hardaway and her sister, Rochelle “Silk” Richardson, effectively became tools for conservatives to downplay the overt racism in the GOP and attack anti-racist causes such as the Black Lives Matter movement. As a prime example, Hardaway was invited by former Rep. Steve King, the white supremacist Iowa Republican, to attend the State of the Union address back in 2019.
Having only one ticket, I invited one of two guests for the State of the Union tonight, #sotu Lynnette Hardaway & Rochelle Richardson, otherwise know as Diamond & Silk. Diamond won the coin toss. Both will be my guest speakers at COS in the morning. pic.twitter.com/bCutypAOoJ
— Steve King (@SteveKingIA) February 5, 2019
I think it’s important to go a little deeper into why the duo appealed to white conservatives. In my experience, when some white folks see Black people performing in the ways they expect — brash, averse to logic, snappy — it brings them comfort. Joy even. Their bigotry is affirmed. When they see Black people who break that mold, it’s mysterious and unsettling to them. It defies their expectations and, in their view, threatens their stature in the world.








