Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey became the subject of online ridicule after a video of him dancing at the Black Entrepreneur State Fair circulated widely on social media platforms.
The clip, which appeared on TikTok last week, shows Frey dancing to hip-hop music while wearing sunglasses and interacting with an emcee. The video quickly drew negative reactions from conservative commentators and social media users, who described the performance as "cringe" and "embarrassing."
Commentators such as Benny Johnson and Emily Jashinsky, along with other users on X, criticized Frey's dance moves. Outkick writer Ian Miller suggested that the incident highlighted a broader trend of what he characterized as "theater kids" in politics. Mario Nawfal commented on the mayor's perceived detachment from city issues, stating, "Mayor Frey is out here dancing like his state his city is not in complete disarray and plagued with rampant fraud at every level. His ability to put on blinders and just vibe is unmatched."
The annual Black Entrepreneur State Fair, an event celebrating Black-owned businesses, took place from August 9-15 at Midtown Global Market in Minneapolis.
The incident involving Mayor Frey occurs amidst a backdrop of other Democratic lawmakers and candidates facing criticism for public performances intended to connect with voters. Notably, Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed also drew online criticism for a campaign video that parodied the children's show Blue's Clues to explain mail-in voting procedures. Users widely panned the video as "cringeworthy."