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Rihanna Demands Trump Stop Playing Her Music at 'Tragic Rallies'

November 5, 2018
Written by DiversityInc Staff

Rihanna is the latest artist to ban her music from being played at rallies featuring President Donald Trump.

Washington Post White House Bureau Chief Philip Rucker said Sunday on Twitter that Rihanna’s hit song “Don’t Stop the Music” was playing at a Trump rally in Chattanooga, Tenn., ahead of Tuesday’s midterm elections:

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.
Philip Rucker (@PhilipRucker) November 4, 2018

Rihanna responded to Rucker’s tweet:

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

Rihanna has sold 124 million digital singles in the U.S., which is 10 million more than any other artist, according to Forbes.

Last month, she turned down an offer by the NFL to headline the 2019 Super Bowl Halftime Show because she stands in solidarity with Colin Kaepernick and NFL players who take a knee.

Soon after, actress Amy Schumer posted on social media that she was turning down a chance to appear in a Super Bowl commercial. Schumer also said it
“would be cool” if Maroon 5, scheduled to perform, would reject the offer, like Rihanna did.

Last week, Pharrell Williams sent a cease-and-desist letter to President Trump to stop him from using his music. On the same day as the Pittsburgh synagogue massacre, Trump hosted a Midwest campaign rally where “Happy” was on the playlist.

“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,” the letter states.

At a rally last week for Stacey Abrams, the Democratic candidate in the Georgia gubernatorial race, Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) was captured on video dancing to “Happy,” and it went viral.

Pharrell approved:

“Get it legend.”