05 November 2018
Newsdesk
Rihanna has hit out after her song was used at a "tragic" rally for U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday (04Nov18).
Political analyst Philip Rucker, who works as the Washington Post's White House bureau chief, tweeted on Sunday that Rihanna's 2007 single Don't Stop the Music was being played at the event in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
"It’s been said a million times, but here’s a million and one - Trump’s rallies are unlike anything else in politics. 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 tweeted.
However, Rihanna was quick to respond, clapping back: "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!"
Rucker retweeted the post, and told his followers that "Rihanna serves notice about Trump playing her music".
Rihanna isn't the first star to object to her music being used by the controversial businessman-turned-POTUS.
Pharrell Williams recently sent the president a cease-and-desist letter after his track Happy was used at a rally in Indiana, held just hours after 11 people were killed when a gunman opened fire at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
"On the day of the mass murder of 11 human beings at the hands of a deranged 'nationalist,' you played his song Happy to a crowd at a political event in Indiana," Pharrell’s attorney Howard King wrote in the letter to Trump.
"There was nothing 'happy' about the tragedy inflicted upon our country on Saturday and no permission was granted for your use of this song for this purpose."
Steven Tyler, R.E.M, The Rolling Stones, Elton John, and Queen are among the other musicians who have voiced objections to their music being used at events by Trump.
