politics
Page: 29
Representation matters, and Chrissy Teigen got to see that firsthand when her eight-year-old daughter, Luna, met Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris at the White House this summer. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “I’m still glowing from this moment when my Luna (in her adorable […]
Carole King is officially joining the Swifties for Kamala kickoff call, according to event organizers.
“We wouldn’t be Swifties for Kamala without Midnights Mayhem,” political director April Glick Pulito wrote in an email to attendees, according to Variety. “With that… We are so incredibly excited to announce our special, surprise guest 4x Grammy winner, singer-songwriter and a Swiftie for Kamala… Carole King!”
The call will take place on Tuesday night (Aug. 27) at 7 p.m. ET. Elizabeth Warren, Kirsten Gillibrand and Ed Markey; Rep. Chris Deluzio and Rep. Becca Balint; North Carolina Democratic Party chair Anderson Clayton; and Swifties for Kamala team members Irene Kim, Emerald Medrano, Annie Wu Henry, April Glick Pulito, Emma Coleman and Lexa Hayes are all set to speak at the kickoff event.
While Taylor Swift herself is not affiliated with the group — which describes themselves as a “coalition of Swifties ready to mobilize Taylor Swift fans to help get Democratic candidates elected up and down the ballot” — they note that the “I Can Do It With the Broken Heart” singer is “always welcome to show up to our party.”
Swift has yet to endorse anyone in the 2024 presidential race between Trump and Harris. She endorsed Biden in 2020, and also took aim at Trump during the George Floyd protests that same year, slamming Trump’s response to the unrest.
“After stoking the fires of white supremacy and racism your entire presidency, you have the nerve to feign moral superiority before threatening violence? ‘When the looting starts the shooting starts’???” Swift wrote in reference to a comment from Trump that many took as a potential threat to protesters following the killing of unarmed Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer. “We will vote you out in November.”
Meanwhile, many other musicians have stepped up to the plate to endorse Harris, including Megan Thee Stallion, John Legend, Pink and Stevie Wonder — each of whom has performed at various campaign events — as well as Ariana Grande, Olivia Rodrigo, Demi Lovato, Quavo, Bon Iver, Barbra Streisand and more.
Nick Offerman makes his stance on the 2024 presidential election pretty clear in a new musical parody video, which the Parks and Recreation star dropped Tuesday (Aug. 27) to declare his support for Kamala Harris while raking Donald Trump over the coals.
The clip opens with Offerman plainly endorsing the Democratic nominee’s White House bid, telling the camera, “I’m very enthusiastic to be supporting the presidential campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz.”
“For obvious reasons, there are a lot of Republicans that are very Kamala-curious,” he continues, wearing a T-shirt with a bald eagle on it. “Let me offer you a song that’s from the point of view of one of these Republicans, one of these good citizens, who formerly was blinded by misinformation and has now found a way to see clear to decency.”
The Civil War actor goes on to sing his own original lyrics set to the tune of Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA,” which reached No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2001. “I’m proud to be a Kamala man, who’s quit the GOP/ I just can’t stick with the man convicted of 34 felonies,” he belts over unflattering clips of Trump. “It’s time to stand up and face the facts after all the scams and tricks. He’s a half-a–ed Putin wannabe, yes, Trump’s a f—ing di–.”
Sharing the video on social media, Offerman also encouraged followers to donate to the cause. “Join me in goosing the joy and positivity of the Harris-Walz campaign with any filthy lucre you can spare,” he wrote, including a link to the Democrats’ website.
Offerman is just the latest star to endorse Harris, who took over the Democratic ticket after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race in July. At this month’s Democratic National Convention alone, Pink, Stevie Wonder, John Legend and Lil Jon all delivered performances in support of the former attorney, while Ariana Grande, Barbra Streisand, Carole King, Olivia Rodrigo, Megan Thee Stallion and dozens more have also spoken up in Harris’ favor.
Watch Offerman’s original “Proud to Be a Kamala Man” song above.
[embedded content]
It was the rumor that everyone wanted to believe but nobody could confirm: the final night of the Democratic National Convention was going to feature a very special appearance by Beyoncé. The fantasy was that the singer was going to shock the world and cap the coronation of Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democrat party’s 2024 presidential nominee by performing her Harris campaign theme song, “Freedom” in Chicago’s United Center as the balloons and confetti rained down on Harris and her VP pick, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
Only it wasn’t true and never was. It was, however, such a compelling manifestation that even some of the event’s staff were convinced it was happening.
“We never put out anything about Beyoncé. We denied it every time the media asked us — even though, by the way, people on my staff didn’t believe me,” DNC executive producer Ricky Kirshner told The Hollywood Reporter. “I kept getting texts from news organizations saying, ‘When is Beyoncé coming out?’ But come on, we have the biggest star, the Democratic nominee for president. Why would we overshadow that?”
It’s a fair point. Plus, Kirshner, an Emmy-winning veteran of 14 Super Bowl halftime shows and a raft of other live events, who worked with Emmy-winning director Glenn Weiss (Tony Awards, Kennedy Center Honors) to design the four-night spectacle, said they already had a huge task ahead of them after Harris swapped in just four weeks before the event following President Joe Biden’s exit from the race. Coming off a muted 2020 convention that was virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Weiss said they were looking for a “big-energy experience,” after throwing out the original script and pivoting to focus the event around Harris.
Weiss said the Beyoncé rumor — which kicked into high gear by the anonymous @Angry_Staffer X account writing, “If you thought the Oprah surprise was big, just wait” — was a perfect example of an internet whisper taking on a life of its own. “And people taking something as fact — literally to the point that people in my booth are saying, ‘Is she coming? You can tell me.’ And I would say, ‘I have no knowledge she’s coming.’ And they would say, ‘No knowledge? So there’s something to know?,’” he said. “It was pretty crazy. But she wasn’t coming. In the end even TMZ [which first reported it] had to issue an apology.”
The rumors spun up so quickly and fervently that a spokesperson for the singer stressed to THR on the day of Harris’ convention-ending acceptance speech on August 22 that “Beyoncé was never scheduled to be there… The report of a performance is untrue.”
While Queen Bey was not in the house, her presence was definitely felt, including on night one when a moving a cappella video cued to her Lemonade track “Freedom,” with narration from Oscar-nominee Jeffrey Wright, was played to help kick-off the proceedings. After Harris unexpectedly jumped into the race last month, the campaign rolled out “Freedom” during the veep’s walk-out at her inaugural visit to campaign headquarters. A full-band album version of the song was also featured in an early campaign video.
Unlike Trump, who has been sued, issued cease & desist orders and strongly-worded requests from artists who don’t agree with his divisive, name-calling rhetoric and who want him to stop using their music during his campaign stops, Beyoncé gave the Harris campaign full approval to use “Freedom.”
In another nod to how important music was to the DNC, Kirshner said that the instantly viral Georgia roll call moment with Lil Jon performing “Turn Down For What!” in the room even took producers by surprise. “It took on a life of its own,” Kirshner said of the high point of the innovative, music-heavy recitation of the delegate count, which had a much more traditional, staid roll-out at the RNC weeks before. “We were just trying to energize the room and we woke up the next morning and it was like, ‘holy crap!’ We actually asked a couple of people from other states if they might want to do something and they didn’t get into it. But Lil Jon just really leaned in.”
With the U.S. Presidential election now just 69 days away, the electronic music community is more forcefully entering the conversation with a new initiative from Rave The Vote and Headcount.
As part of a new initiative, a lineup’s worth of dance artists will help provide a free bundle of music to people who check their voter registration status via the non-partisan voter registration organization Head Count.
Participants will receive the downloadable bundle by checking their voter registration status via this link and opting in to text reminders about voting. Participants will receive the treasure trove of dance music in late September.
The batch of tracks and mixes includes work by artists including Tokimonsta, Carl Craig, Seth Troxler, Ardalan, Walker & Royce, Rochelle Jordan, Mary Droppinz, Life On Planets, Baby Weight, DJ E-Clyps and Hercules & Love Affair.
Trending on Billboard
“Dance music in America is bigger than ever, it’s crucial that our community gets out and votes, and ensures its voice is heard,” Rave the Vote organizers say in a statement. “There is a lot at stake in this election, and we need dance music fans to show up and vote for values that are synonymous with our culture; peace, love, unity and respect.”
“Partnering with Rave the Vote is a fantastic opportunity to connect the vibrant energy of dance music with the power of voting,” adds Lucille Wenegieme, Executive Director of HeadCount. “We’re thrilled to join forces in this effort to engage fans and inspire them to make their voices heard at the polls. Music and democracy go hand in hand, and with the support of these incredible artists, we’re confident that we’ll see a strong turnout and a real impact in this year’s elections.”
Launched in 2020, Rave the Vote is a collaborative project headed by Infamous PR. Since 2004, HeadCount has registered over 1.2 million voters through work with artists including Harry Styles, Lizzo, Dead & Company, Billie Eilish and more.
Taylor Swift doesn’t need to endorse Kamala Harris for her fans to rally around the Democratic nominee. Many of them already are, mobilizing on behalf of the VP under the name Swifties for Kamala.
In a recent interview with Cosmopolitan, a few of the organization’s leaders shared that they don’t particularly care if or when the 34-year-old pop star publicly supports Harris, because their movement is much bigger than that. As 21-year-old Rohan Reagan explained to the publication, “We are doing this outside of her, using the platform of Swifties as a way to get people involved in the election.”
“Taylor did throw her support toward Joe Biden during the 2020 election, so it is possible that she’ll show her support again,” Reagan continued. “But Swifties for Kamala aren’t waiting for her to do that.”
Co-founder Irene Kim, 29, added, “We’re not trying to make her do anything — we do not speak for Taylor. Our movement is about the power of our community and how we can mobilize together.”
The interview comes about a month after President Biden dropped out of the 2024 race, appointing his second-in-command to take over the ticket. Since then, Harris has selected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate and officially accepted her nomination for president at the Democratic National Convention — but Swift has yet to publicly show support for the attorney-turned-politician. There was a moment earlier this month when many fans believed the “Anti-Hero” singer subtly embraced Harris by posting an Eras Tour photo with what appeared to be a Kamala look-alike in the background, but so far, there have been no signs that it was purposeful.
Even so, many other musicians have stepped up to the plate to endorse Harris, including Megan Thee Stallion, John Legend, Pink and Stevie Wonder — each of whom has performed at various campaign events — as well as Ariana Grande, Olivia Rodrigo, Demi Lovato, Quavo, Bon Iver, Barbra Streisand, Carole King and more. And in the meantime, Swifties for Kamala plan to continue advocating for Harris on behalf of the “Karma” artist’s fans, from raising awareness about the VP’s campaign to providing followers with voter registration resources.
“One of our goals is that we really want to make this almost a Swiftie safe space where people feel comfortable to be active in politics, especially younger voters and people who have never really participated in politics,” 22-year-old cofounder Emerald Medrano told Cosmo. “We combine voter registration information with, like, friendship bracelets initiatives. We’re bringing things from our fandom culture into a political space, which I think is a really cool way to help people open up and participate.”
With the 2024 U.S. presidential election just 70 days away, the candidates — Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump — are pulling out all the stops to win the contest. But internet comedian Randy Rainbow is not impressed by the tactics of Trump’s embattled running mate, JD Vance. In his latest parody […]
The Isaac Hayes estate is taking Donald Trump to court.
On Friday (Aug. 23), the late soul singer’s son Isaac Hayes III announced on social media that a federal judge had granted his father’s estate an emergency hearing in their lawsuit against the former president, who has been using “Hold On, I’m Coming” without authorization during multiple campaign rallies.
“The Federal Court has granted our request for an Emergency Hearing to secure injunctive relief,” Hayes III wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “Donald Trump, the RNC, Trump, Trump for President Inc. 2024, Turning Point and The NRA are required to appear in court September 3rd, 2024 at the Northern U.S. District Federal Court in Atlanta. See you in court.”
On Aug. 11, lawyers for Isaac Hayes Enterprises filed a notice of copyright infringement and threatened further legal action against the Trump campaign over its use of the Sam & Dave classic at multiple Trump rallies without authorization from 2022-2024.
“Today, on the anniversary of my father Isaac Hayes’ death we have repeatedly asked Donald Trump, the RNC and his representatives not to use ‘Hold on I’m Coming’ written by Isaac Hayes and David Porter during campaign rallies but yet again, in Montana they used it,” Hayes III wrote on X on Aug. 10.
He added the following day, “We demand the cessation of use, removal of all related videos, a public disclaimer, and payment of $3 million in licensing fees by August 16, 2024. Failure to comply will result in further legal action.”
Hayes died Aug. 10, 2008, at the age of 65. He and David Porter wrote “Hold On, I’m Coming,” which was recorded by soul duo Sam & Dave, and issued on the Stax label in 1966, peaking at No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, has had numerous run-ins with other musical acts. Scores of top artists and songwriters have objected to his campaign’s use of their songs at political rallies since he first ran for president in 2015, among them The Rolling Stones, Adele, Rihanna, Sinead O’Connor‘s estate and Aerosmith‘s Steven Tyler.
“It is most unfortunate that these artists have publicly posted on their social media and asked Team Trump and other candidates not to use their music — and yet their candidates keep using their music,” James L. Walker Jr., an attorney for Hayes Enterprises, previously stated.
On Friday, Foo Fighters joined the list of artists who are opposed to Trump using their music during his events. The Dave Grohl-fronted group’s 1997 anthem “My Hero” was played while Trump welcomed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to the stage Glendale, Ariz., after the independent presidential candidate suspended his campaign and endorsed the Republican nominee.
“Foo Fighters were not asked permission, and if they were, they would not have granted it,” a spokesperson tells Billboard of the unauthorized usage. Furthermore, “appropriate actions are being taken” against the campaign, the spokesperson continues, and any royalties received as a result of this usage will be donated to the Kamala Harris/Tim Walz campaign.
The move marked the second time in the week — and third time in August — Trump’s campaign had run afoul of a superstar for using music without permission. On Tuesday (Aug. 22), Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung posted a 13-second video on his X account of footage of Trump stepping off a plane as Beyoncé’s “Freedom” played. The video arrived long after his opponent, Democratic presidential nominee Harris, had been using the song (with permission) for weeks.
Beyoncé’s record label and music publisher sent a cease-and-desist notice on Wednesday (Aug. 21) to Trump’s campaign over its use of “Freedom.” Later that evening, the video was deleted from Cheung’s X account.
See Isaac Hayes III’s posts on X below.
🚨Breaking 🚨The Federal Court has granted our request for an Emergency Hearing to secure injunctive relief.Donald Trump, @realdonaldtrump, the RNC, Trump, Trump for President Inc. 2024, Turning Point and The NRA are required to appear in court September 3rd, 2024 at the…— Isaac Hayes III (@IsaacHayes3) August 23, 2024
Donald Trump may consider Robert F. Kennedy Jr. his hero, given he played the Foo Fighters’ 1997 anthem “My Hero” to welcome him to the stage at a rally Friday (Aug. 23) in Glendale, Arizona, after the independent presidential candidate suspended his campaign and endorsed the Republican nominee — but the band is calling the move a big zero.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
“Foo Fighters were not asked permission, and if they were, they would not have granted it,” a spokesperson tells Billboard of the unauthorized usage. Furthermore, “appropriate actions are being taken” against the campaign, the spokesperson continues, and any royalties received as a result of this usage will be donated to the Harris/Walz campaign.
“I don’t think too many of you people have heard of him, he’s very low-key,” Trump said before the chorus of “My Hero” began blaring as Kennedy joined Trump onstage and a row of flash pots went off. “He’s a very low-key person, but he’s highly respected. He is a great person. I’ve known him for so long. For the past 16 months. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.”
Additionally, in a response to being asked by the X account with the name Wu-Tang Is for the Children if the band “let Trump use ‘My Hero’ to welcome RKJ Jr. on stage,” the Foo Fighters account simply replied, “No,” and then posted the exchange, adding, “Let us be clear.”
The move marks the second time this week — and third time this month — Trump’s campaign has run afoul of a superstar for using music without permission. On Tuesday (Aug. 22), Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung posted a 13-second video on his X account of footage of Trump stepping off a plane as Beyoncé’s “Freedom” played. The video arrived long after his opponent, Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, had been using the song (with permission) for weeks.
On Wednesday (Aug. 21), Beyoncé’s record label and music publisher sent a cease-and-desist notice to Trump’s campaign over its use of “Freedom.” Later that evening, the video was deleted from Cheung’s X account.
Additionally, on Aug. 11, lawyers for the Isaac Hayes estate filed a notice of copyright infringement and threatened further legal action against the Trump campaign over its use of Hayes’ “Hold On, I’m Coming” at multiple Trump rallies without authorization between 2022 and 2024.
The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Kamala Harris is a big music fan.
The Democratic presidential nominee took part in the music game Track Star, where she had to guess a song by a few seconds of its instrumental, winning money for each correct answer. Harris easily identified a song from Stevie Wonder, whom she called “one of the greatest musicians who ever lived. […] He’s a lyricist, he’s a poet, he’s very active on social justice issues and he’s actually a friend.”
Harris also admitted that because of her schedule lately, gearing up for the presidential elections, “this is probably the most music I’ve listened to in a long time.” She continued, “Both of my parents loved music. It was part of my childhood. We would go to sleep with them playing music all the time.”
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
She concluded by noting that the song everyone should know is Roy Ayers Ubiquity’s 1976 hit, “Everybody Loves the Sunshine.” She admitted, “It’s one of my favorite songs.”
Harris recently sat down with her Vice President selection, Tim Walz, for a wide-ranging discussion, where they brought up the music that shaped their lives. For Walz, it started with Bruce Springsteen’s 1980 album The River, which he called a “transformational piece of music” for him. He also shared his love for Bob Seger. “My first car, it was the summer of 1980 and I’d been saving up. I buy a 1973 orange Chevy Camaro,” he recalled. “Got an eight-track player in it. The previous owner left Bob Seger’s Night Moves in there. I listened to it, and it’s kind of the soundtrack of my life. […] What’s really great about it is I’ve got a ’79 international that’s my car and it’s got an eight-track player in it. I have the very eight-track to this day.”
Harris added that while Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Miles Davis and John Coltrane were main fixtures within her family home, one of her “personal favorite musicians” is Minnesota’s own Prince. “My husband Doug and I — I’m more of a hip-hop girl, and he’s more Depeche Mode,” she shared. “However, in the Venn diagram of things, Prince he and I love the same. Talk about how Prince was with that guitar, man. I almost know by heart every one of those songs.”