There’s no question that Donald Trump is a controversial figure, and he has especially been a lightning rod for musicians. From blocking him from using their songs to speaking out about his divisive message, everyone from Adele to YG is drawing a line in the sand.
Turtles Say Use of ‘Happy Together’ at Republican National Convention Was Unauthorized
As the Republican National Convention kicks off in Cleveland, we’ve rounded up dozens of artists who won’t be sporting a “Make America Great Again” hat anytime soon:
Adele
Adele‘s camp sent a cease-and-desist letter to keep her No. 1 hit “Rolling in the Deep” and other singles from being used at Trump’s political rallies. In a statement to Billboard, Adele’s camp said: “Adele has not given permission for her music to be used for any political campaigning.”
Becky G
Mexican-American rapper/singer Becky G fired back at Trump’s controversial comments about Mexican immigrants with a single called “We Are Mexico.” “If you don’t know, now you know/ We are Mexico,” she sings on the song.
Belly
Belly canceled his performance with The Weeknd on Jimmy Kimmel Live because Trump was booked on the same episode. In an interview with Billboard, Belly stated that although he may be Canadian and isn’t one “to get into politics,” he didn’t feel right being “the court jester for a false king” in what would have been the rapper’s first major U.S. television appearance. “When one man comes along and says this stuff, this guy with his remarks just generalizes people and puts everybody in one category and says, ‘These people can’t cross the border,’ that’s not politics anymore. Now it’s a human issue,” Belly said about Trump.
Brujeria
Mexican-American metal band Brujeria professed their anti-Trump viewpoint through their song “Viva Presidente Trump” and tour entitled F— Donald Trump. The single, which was released in May, has a pro-Trump title with an anti-Trump message, with lyrics like, “I actually want him to be president gabacho, because he wants war and so do we.”
Cher
Arguably the biggest voice in music against Donald Trump, Cher consistently tweets her disdain for the Republican candidate, adding a toilet emoji to his name each time. In an interview with Billboard, Cher said, “I don’t like anything about Donald Trump. It’s a joke at a time when you really need serious people.”
Why do Republicans
Let Donald Trump
Run for President ??
What are his Credentials ??
He’s Loudmouth Asshole,Who’s terrified of Windy Days ??— Cher (@cher) June 3, 2015
@elle_emm_aitch
Donald Trump Can’t come up with a hairstyle that looks human,how can he come up with a plan to defeat ISIS.— Cher (@cher) June 16, 2015
Heard Trump shot himself in his
Gucci Loafers.Hes Dumb as a
Mentally challenged Fence Post.I know more politics than he.TRUMP,“YOURE FIRED”— Cher (@cher) September 22, 2015
FROM THE–TRUMP COMETH
& 2THE–HE WILL RETURN??
–DOESNT BUY DECENCY,
MORAL COMPASS,OR COMPASSION??KNOW HES RACIST,BUT HE ALSO INCOMPETENT??— Cher (@cher) June 12, 2016
–Talked 2Mom“OH Honey I’m
So Afraid Of Trump–U Think He’ll Win??I Don’t Think He’s Fit 2B Pres““Mom,I Don’t Think He’s Fit 2B Scout leader”— Cher (@cher) June 9, 2016
IM SICK OF–ASSHOLE
–TRUMP,SAYING“THE GAYS”??
LGBT COMMUNITY—-KICK HIS HUGE,INSANE,RACIST BUTT 2THE CURB??–TRUMP ONLY CARES 4–TRUMP &VOTES??— Cher (@cher) June 22, 2016
GEE CALLED–Trump A TOOL 2DAY—-
HE MAKES AT LEAST 1 STUPID/INSANE COMMENT A DAY??–“BELGIUM IS A BEAUTIFUL CITY”FKNG IDIOT— Cher (@cher) June 26, 2016
CAN NEVER B SAFE W/–TRUMP PRES. OF—-
IF ITS BETWEEN GOING 2 NATIONAL SECURITY BRIEFING &
OPENING GOLF COURSE,HE’LL MAKE“TRUMP”GREAT AGAIN??— Cher (@cher) June 28, 2016
Demi Lovato
Demi Lovato tweeted during the Republican primary that Trump is a celebrity, not a politician. The singer also told fans she is a Hillary Clinton supporter with the hashtag #ImWithHer.
We live in a world obsessed with “celebrity”. Please don’t elect one for President. #ImWithHer
— Demi Lovato (@ddlovato) March 2, 2016
All I’m saying is, the others all have experience being politicians…
— Demi Lovato (@ddlovato) March 2, 2016
Ellie Goulding
When a fan tweeted at vocal Trump critic Ellie Goulding not to stick her “nose into politics and make me not want to go to your concert,” the “Lights” singer responded: “Don’t come.”
Who even is this clown. https://t.co/d0afboYqTR
— Ellie Goulding (@elliegoulding) May 27, 2016
Donald Trump continues to say that climate change is a “hoax”, and that he would scrap the Paris agreement. Just putting that out there.
— Ellie Goulding (@elliegoulding) May 27, 2016
J Balvin
J Balvin pulled out of his performance on the Miss USA broadcast due to then-pageant owner Trump’s negative comments about Mexican immigrants. In an interview with Billboard, Balvin said, “We’re talking about our roots, our culture, our values. This isn’t about being punitive, but about showing leadership through social responsibility. His comments weren’t just about Mexicans, but about all Latins in general.”
Jeezy
Jeezy took to Twitter to describe Trump as an illegitimate candidate for president. The hip-hop artist said, “We don’t need @DonaldTrump representing us as Americans.”
We don’t need @DonaldTrump representing us as americans. His hatred in his most recent statements shows he’s not a legitimate candidate.
— Young Jeezy (@Jeezy) July 20, 2015
John Legend
John Legend took his distaste for Trump a step further, going back and forth with Trump’s son Donald Trump Jr. on Twitter and calling the Republican candidate a racist.
.@DonaldJTrumpJr I think they were protesting your racist father. This isn’t complicated.
— John Legend (@johnlegend) March 12, 2016
More apt title: Donald Trump’s Bigoted Campaign Rhetoric Emboldens White Supremacists https://t.co/qpCWiGY1vo
— John Legend (@johnlegend) May 10, 2016
Crooked Donald: Former Trump University Workers Call the School a ‘Lie’ and a ‘Scheme’ in Testimony https://t.co/nZbaK2IwOJ
— John Legend (@johnlegend) June 1, 2016
Teleprompter trump is funny because he reads a couple lines then he ad libs to emphasize what he just read, but this time in his own voice.
— John Legend (@johnlegend) June 8, 2016
I’ve figured it out. Real Trump is TelePrompTer Trump’s hypeman
— John Legend (@johnlegend) June 8, 2016
Trump is truly an awful person. https://t.co/vQp3CQ9Nmv
— John Legend (@johnlegend) June 12, 2016
Mac Miller
Mac Miller appeared on The Nightly Show to express his true feelings about Donald Trump. Miller and Trump have a personal feud over the candidate demanding royalties for Miller’s 2011 song “Donald Trump” after Trump had praised the song publicly early on.
Just don’t forget about the ridiculously large amount of humans who are down to have Donald Trump be present. There is work to do
— Mac (@MacMiller) December 16, 2015
Just please don’t elect this motherfucker man
— Mac (@MacMiller) December 16, 2015
Maná’s Fher Olvera
During an interview with Jorge Ramos on Al Punto, Mana frontman Fher Olvera hammered down on Trump’s racial rhetoric on the campaign trail. In the interview, Olvera called Trump an “inherent racist” and compared the candidate to Hitler. “It would be catastrophic if someone like Donald Trump takes the White House. Someone with such a violent heart. Violence generates violence, so imagine all the problems he’d get us and the planet into. A violent leader would only cause violence and war,” said Olvera.
Marc Anthony
Marc Anthony went off about Trump’s antics during his concert at Madison Square Garden, even announcing to the crowd: “F— Donald Trump.”
Meek Mill
Meek Mill took to Twitter in April of last year to call Trump a “racist,” citing Trump’s attitude toward President Barack Obama. Mill ended the tweet with “We won’t miss u when u perish!”
It’s clear @realdonaldtrump been racist..saying our “African American president” it’s plain to see! We won’t miss u when u perish!
— Meek Mill (@MeekMill) April 28, 2015
Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus is the furthest from shy in her music and her political opinion, calling Trump out via Instagram on multiple occasions for being a “stupid ass sexist sh–” and a “nightmare.”
Neil Young
Neil Young was not happy to hear his “Rockin’ in the Free World” during Trump’s presidential candidacy announcement. Young took to Facebook to express his frustration.
R.E.M.
R.E.M. refused to allow Trump’s campaign to use their music during his political rallies, making an official statement via Facebook after their song “It’s the End of the World as We Know It” was played at a rally. Band member Mike Mills also took to Twitter to profess his distaste for Trump, calling him “the Orange Clown.”
Personally, I think the Orange Clown will do anything for attention. I hate giving it to him.
— Mike Mills (@m_millsey) September 9, 2015
“Go fuck yourselves, the lot of you–you sad, attention grabbing, power-hungry little men. Do not use our music or my voice for your 1)
— Mike Mills (@m_millsey) September 9, 2015
…moronic charade of a campaign.”–Michael Stipe
— Mike Mills (@m_millsey) September 9, 2015
Ricky Martin
Ricky Martin decided to go outside the 140 characters allowed on Twitter to blast Trump after he verbally attacked TV journalist Jorge Ramos. “The fact that an individual like Donald Trump, a candidate for the presidency of the United States for the Republican Party, has the audacity to continue to gratuitously harass the Latin community makes my blood boil,” Martin wrote in an op-ed for Univision.
Rolling Stones
Much like Neil Young, Adele and R.E.M., the Rolling Stones refused to allow their music to be part of Trump’s campaign. After watching the Republican candidate walk out to “Start Me Up” after his Indiana primary victory and continuously using “You Cant Always Get What You Want” and “Brown Sugar,” the band had enough. “The Rolling Stones have never given permission to the Trump campaign to use their songs,” a rep for the band told Billboard.
Romeo Santos
Bachata singer/songwriter Romeo Santos decided to make a statement about Trump during his concert at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, yelling, “F— Donald Trump” to the crowd.
Shakira
Following Trump’s comments about Mexican immigrants, Shakira tweeted to her more than 38 million Twitter followers about the “hateful and racist speech.” The artist was also involved in Emilio Estefan’s “We’re All Mexican,” which was created in opposition to Trump’s derogatory statements, alongside Carlos Santana, Thalia, Pepe Aguilar and Gloria Estefan.
This is a hateful and racist speech that attempts to divide a country that for years has promoted diversity and democracy! 1/2
— Shakira (@shakira) June 30, 2015
No one living in this century should stand behind so much ignorance. 2/2http://t.co/jsx0KHdmzO
— Shakira (@shakira) June 30, 2015
Smoke DZA
Smoke DZA was so bothered by Donald Trump, he released the mixtape Don’t Pass Trump the Blunt and a campaign by the same name. “The release was inspired by the election and how terrible it would be if Trump was actually the president,” Smoke DZA told Billboard. “We were all sitting around and talking about how much we didn’t f— with Trump … One of the homies said ‘[I] would never pass Trump the blunt’ as he was passing me the blunt. I laughed about that sh–. We all did, and basically birthed the Don’t Pass Trump the Blunt campaign right there.”
Tamar Braxton
Tamar Braxton used her platform to point out Trump’s antics, posting a screenshot of one of Trump’s tweets on Instagram with the caption “ENOUGH is ENOUGH.” Braxton also called out Trump for being a “racist” while hosting TheReal back in March.
T.I.
T.I. added his opinion on Trump, posting an Instagram video directly talking to the candidate. In the clip, the hip-hop artist claimed no one who supports him will support Trump for president.
Usher
Usher made clear his feelings about Donald Trump in a quiet-yet-public way. The artist wore a jacket that read “Don’t Trump America” on the back during his performance at the 2016 BET Awards. Following the performance, the star began selling a line of sweatshirts, T-shirts and tank tops with the slogan via Teespring.
Waka Flocka Flame
Although his personal campaign video for president didn’t land him on the ticket, Waka Flocka Flame took to Twitter following Trump’s comments on Mexican immigrants to defend minorities.
I wonder how many hardworking Mexicans built those #trumptowers #patheticman!!!!
— Waka Flocka (@WakaFlocka) July 5, 2015
I know Mexican’s to be some of they most cultural, religious, God fearing hard working people in the world. #GODblessusall #WFF
— Waka Flocka (@WakaFlocka) July 5, 2015
Minorities build this country. #USA
— Waka Flocka (@WakaFlocka) July 5, 2015
Wavves
?The SoCal punk band Wavves took to Twitter on July 6 to ban Trump supporters from their shows. In a lengthy Twitter post, the band made clear a list of people who should not attend their shows and that Trump and his backers were uninvited.
a few things i wanted to make clear pic.twitter.com/SGppoJE3qC
— WAVVES (@wavves) July 6, 2016
Wyclef Jean
Donald Trump can rule out Wyclef Jean as a supporter. In an interview with Billboard, the artist said, “The reason the United States of America, the land of immigrants, is so special is because it takes all of us together and we become America. Everyone can see at this point that Trump is just an egomaniac. We definitely gotta make sure that we vote.” Wyclef also reiterated his point onstage.
YG & Nipsey Hussle
YG and Nipsey Hussle’s song “FDT” — short for “F— Donald Trump” — took the Internet by storm. In an interview with Billboard, YG claimed the fire that sparked the single was “a million things. It got to a point where [Trump] was disrespectin’, saying shit that makes no sense. Me and Nip always talk about doing real shit about these politics, stepping up and saying stuff other motherf—ers are not doing, so we finally hit the studio and really did it.”