Overview

• Johnson posted the video on June 18 in honor of Black Music Month, announcing he was “just learning to play guitar” before launching into the song.
• He rewrote Hendrix’s 'Hey Joe' to accuse President Trump of aiming to “shoot democracy” and seeking to become “king.”
• Conservatives on X have criticized the performance as “cringe” and “tone-deaf,” with the clip receiving over 800 comments by Friday.
• Detractors compared his rendition unfavorably to Jimi Hendrix’s original, mocking his tuning and musical technique.
• Observers see the parody as echoing 'No Kings' protests in multiple cities and reflecting Democratic efforts to try new social media tactics during President Trump’s second term.