Rihanna Sends ‘Cease And Desist’ Letter To Trump After ‘Don’t Stop The Music’ Is Played At Rally
Sunday, when Rihanna caught wind that Donald Trump was using her music to amp up audiences at his rallies, she told the president that she wasn’t having it, according to a previous Inquisitr article. A short while later, the mega-mogul put her money where her mouth is, sending Trump a cease-and-desist letter telling the president she will pursue legal action if he doesn’t stop playing her songs in his playlist, according to TMZ.
“It has come to our attention that President Trump has utilized [Rihanna’s] musical compositions and master recordings, including her hit track ‘Don’t Stop the Music,’ in connection with a number of political events held across the United States,” Rihanna’s legal team wrote in a letter to Trump’s legal team.
It all started when Washington Post reporter Philip Rucker tweeted that he was watching the crowd at a Trump rally get riled up while Rihanna’s 2007 hit “Don’t Stop the Music” played in the background.
“Currently, Rihanna’s ‘Don’t Stop the Music’ is blaring in Chattanooga as aides toss free Trump T-shirts into the crowd, like a ball game. Everyone’s loving it,” he wrote.
Rihanna saw the tweet and was quick to respond, thanking Rucker for the “heads up,” saying that her music wouldn’t be playing at Trump events for much longer and that neither she nor her people “would ever be at or around one of those tragic rallies.”
Not for much longer…me nor my people would ever be at or around one of those tragic rallies, so thanks for the heads up philip! https://t.co/dRgRi06GrJ
— Rihanna (@rihanna) November 5, 2018
The next day, Rihanna made it official, sending the president a letter demanding he stop using her property. In a letter, which was obtained by Rolling Stone, Rihanna’s counsel spelled out that the artist hadn’t given Trump her consent to use her music, and that using it at his rallies is “improper.”
“Trump’s unauthorized use of Ms. Fenty’s music… creates a false impression that Ms. Fenty is affiliated with, connected to or otherwise associated with Trump,” the cease-and-desist letter said.
Rihanna has discussed politics several times this election cycle, including expressing her support for Florida governor nominee Andrew Gillum. She has also been open about her love for former President Barack Obama.
The president was holding a rally in Chattanooga, Tennesee, last Tuesday when the mogul’s music was blasted over the speakers. During the rally at the McKenzie Arena, he warned voters that they needed to fight the Democratic agenda of “high taxes and high crime.”
The 12,000-person-strong crowd was met with protesters lining the streets outside the arena, holding signs critical of Trump and his policies.
