Eminem Authorizes Oscar-Winning Song ‘Lose Yourself’ For Joe Biden Campaign’s Get-Out-The-Vote Ad
Eminem has allowed the use of his Oscar-winning song “Lose Yourself“ for Joe Biden’s presidential campaign, a rare case where he has allowed such use of his work.
The singer, aka Marshall Mathers, also tweeted out the spot with the message, “One opportunity… #Vote”
One opportunity… #Vote https://t.co/sCUhq4dvAN
— Marshall Mathers (@Eminem) November 2, 2020
Other musicians also have authorized the use of their music in campaign spots. Taylor Swift allowed “Only the Young” to be used in a Biden/Harris spot send out by Rep. Eric Swalwell’s leadership PAC. Beastie Boys authorized the Biden campaign’s use of the song “Sabotage,” but the spot was reportedly taken down after one of the figures shown in the spot received a backlash from Trump supporters.
The 45-second spot featuring Eminem’s work is called “One Opportunity,” is aimed at getting out the vote. It features images of Biden and his campaign bus, as well as Kamala Harris.
The Biden campaign also has debuted a spot narrated by Bruce Springsteen and featuring excerpts from his hit “My Hometown.”
The Trump campaign has gotten a number of legal threats and requests to stop using music, from artists including the Rolling Stones and the family of Tom Petty. But he’s lately been using Village People’s “YMCA” at rallies, and even dancing to it. That group’s lead singer, Victor Willis, told the BBC last week that he has not endorsed Trump “nor has the Village People.” Willis said that although they have asked the Trump campaign to stop playing their music, blanket licensing laws allow him to “play our music anytime he wants to at any venue.”
Eminem has made his dislike of Trump clear in the past couple of years, but this is one of his most overt political moves since 2004. That year, George W. Bush was seeking re-election, he released his anti-Iraq war song “Mosh” with an explicit attack on the incumbent in both its lyrics and the accompanying video. “Lose Yourself,” from the 2002 film 8 Mile, won the Best Original Song Oscar.
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