Growing up in the 80s and 90s, black men like myself developed an admiration for then-real estate mogul Donald Trump. Back then, he was a public icon. He had all the pretty women and what appeared to be limitless money. You saw him at all the boxing matches. He even made cameos at sporting events and in movies. We bought the books and listened intently to his interviews about his approach to wealth.

Overall, we thought Trump was cool. In fact, I’d go as far as to say that many of us wanted to be the next “black” Donald Trump. Every entertainer and entrepreneur seemed to follow suit, giving him credit in rap songs and looking forward to taking “selfies” with the self-made man.

So it’s no wonder that President Trump is gaining much more support from black male voters who are rekindling their longtime affinity for the former real estate giant. Exit polls from the 2016 election suggest that 13% of black men voted for Trump — more than any Republican in modern election history.

It’s no surprise that rapper Ice Cube was willing to sit down with the Trump White House to discuss his “Contract with Black America” — a plan that included a $500 billion “capital infusion” for black communities. Eyeing what the rapper put on the table, the Trump administration followed up with the Platinum Plan, which met Ice Cube’s largest demand. Senior Advisor Katrina Pierson credited the rapper for his willingness to discuss a solution.

Shoutout to @icecube for his willingness to step up and work with @realDonaldTrump Administration to help develop the #PlatinumPlan

ICYMI: https://t.co/V0qOAp0lwR

Leaders gonna lead, haters gonna hate. Thank you for leading! ✊🏾

— Katrina Pierson (@KatrinaPierson) October 13, 2020

While loudmouth “activists” like LeBron James and Colin Kaepernick only seem to have complaints, a huge influencer in Ice Cube comes forward — with his dislike for Trump and all — to bravely make demands on behalf of his community.

This is because men — real men — are naturally wired to be protectors and providers, going through any means necessary to make change happen. For Ice Cube, it wasn’t a Twitter war or a campaign of hate that helped him bring his plan to fruition. Instead, it was showing up at the table — face to face with a sitting administration — to hold all parties accountable, hypocrisy free.

Leadership like this is what inspires black men, because we honor responsibility, strength, and a well-thought-out plan just as the next man does. Perhaps Ice Cube saw these qualities in President Trump. This was probably evident after coming to both parties only to be deferred by Biden’s campaign. With checkbooks in hand, the Trump administration put pen to paper and made the deal that will pave the way for black entrepreneurship and economic success. It would be a plan that would — as Joe Biden claims in his alliterative slogan — #BuildBackBetter.

Ultimately, this “Trump-Cube Contract” represents the many things black men have wanted from America. But most importantly it embodies the willingness for two men across party and racial lines to meet in the middle. In this case, Ice Cube played the Trump Card and black America won.