Rihanna isn't one to shy away from talking politics. That's why we weren't surprised when she told Trump to quit playing her 2007 hit "Don’t Stop the Music" at his fear-stoking rallies, which he's been holding at a feverish pace ahead of Tuesday's midterm elections.
The Washington Post's Philip Rucker first alerted RiRi to this fact via Twitter: "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 wrote on Sunday.
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Rihanna responded that, actually, the music needs to stop ASAP. "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!"
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
Although the Barbadian singer can't vote in the U.S., she's made her views known. Hours before her warning to Trump, she endorsed Florida gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum on Instagram, writing, "The US has only had four black governors in its entire history and we can help make #AndrewGillum the next one and Florida’s first." Last month, she reportedly turned down the chance to perform at the Super Bowl in solidarity with Colin Kaepernick's stand against police brutality. She's also called Trump an "immoral pig" over his immigration ban and was seen wearing a T-shirt with Hillary Clinton's face before the 2016 election (as well as a very meta T-shirt featuring a photo of herself wearing a T-shirt with Hillary's face).
She's not the first musician who wishes Trump would stop using their talents to promote his anti-immigrant agenda: that long list includes Adele, Neil Young, Aerosmith, Guns N' Roses, Elton John, the Rolling Stones, Pharrell Williams, and Luciano Pavarotti's estate. But licensing loopholes allow him to play the songs anyway, and no artist has gone to court because of it — at least not yet.
Pharrell reportedly sent Trump a cease-and-desist letter when he played "Happy" at a campaign rally in Illinois hours after 11 people were murdered by a terrorist at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. "Tragic" is the right word.
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