Donald Trump didn’t obtain permission to make use of the tune “Freedom” from Beyoncé‘s 2016 album Lemonade in a 13-second video, Rolling Stone reported on Wednesday, Aug. 21.
After Steven Cheung, a spokesperson for the previous president, shared a video on his X account of Trump strolling off a airplane on Tuesday, Aug. 20, set to the Grammy-nominated tune—with the caption, “Landing in Michigan!!”—the “Say My Identify” singer despatched a cease-and-desist letter.
The usage of the tune, which additionally options Kendrick Lamar, rapidly drew consideration on-line, particularly since Democratic nominee Kamala Harris—with Beyoncé’s permission—has used it at a number of marketing campaign occasions. Her supporters have even been pictured carrying cowboy hats and “Cowboy Kamala” sashes, referencing Beyoncé’s 2024 album Cowboy Carter.
Moreover, the Harris-Walz marketing campaign debuted a brand new advert soundtracked by “Freedom,” with actor Jeffrey Wright narrating, “What sort of America do we wish? One the place we’re divided, indignant, depressed? C’mon! We’re People! Fascism? We conquered it. The moon? Landed on it. The long run? Constructing it. Freedom? No person loves it extra.”
As of right now, Aug. 22, Trump’s marketing campaign has quietly deleted the video.
Though Beyoncé has not formally endorsed Harris, the Vice President and her husband Doug Emhoff had been gifted tickets to the Renaissance World Tour in Maryland by the artist herself final yr.
All through his political profession, the Apprentice star hasn’t precisely had artists lining as much as lend their music to his marketing campaign. The truth is, a number of have issued warnings of various ranges of severity over time for utilizing their tracks with out permission.
Earlier this month, the Trump marketing campaign was known as out by Céline Dion for utilizing her 1997 hit tune “My Coronary heart Will Go On” at a marketing campaign rally in Montana.
And simply final week, the property of the late singer-songwriter Isaac Hayes sued the Republican presidential nominee and his marketing campaign for the alleged unauthorized use of the tune “Maintain On, I’m Coming” in marketing campaign movies. Attorneys for the Hayes household argue that Trump owes the property $150,000 for every alleged unauthorized use of the tune, which the Trump marketing campaign has reportedly used over 100 occasions.
The household of the late Tom Petty additionally condemned the usage of the musician’s tune throughout Trump’s 2020 marketing campaign.
Since 2016, the Rolling Stones have issued a number of statements calling for Trump to “stop all use” of their music. Nonetheless, Trump continued utilizing the band’s tune “You Can’t All the time Get What You Need” regardless of their objections.
