Prince estate slams Trump campaign for playing 'Purple Rain' (again) at Minneapolis event
"Purple Rain" has no place at President Donald Trump's rally, a Prince spokesperson says.
Trump came under fire from deceased musician Prince Rogers Nelson's estate when one of the singer's most iconic tunes, "Purple Rain," was played during the president's campaign rally in Minneapolis Thursday.
According to Prince's official Twitter account, the president went back on a promise not to use the musician's work.
"President Trump played Prince’s 'Purple Rain' tonight at a campaign event in Minneapolis despite confirming a year ago that the campaign would not use Prince’s music," the tweet said. "The Prince Estate will never give permission to President Trump to use Prince’s songs."
The tweet included an image of a letter from Oct. 15, 2018, from lawyer Megan Newton regarding the estate's first request that Trump "refrain from using Prince's 'Purple Rain,' or any other Prince music, in connection with Campaign rallies, or other Campaign events."
"Without admitting liability, and to avoid any future dispute, we write to confirm that the Campaign will not use Prince's music in connection with its activities going forward," Newton wrote.
President Trump played Prince’s “Purple Rain” tonight at a campaign event in Minneapolis despite confirming a year ago that the campaign would not use Prince’s music. The Prince Estate will never give permission to President Trump to use Prince’s songs. pic.twitter.com/FuMUPzSWOe
— Prince (@prince) October 11, 2019
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Prince isn't the only musician the Trump campaign has crossed.
Pharrell Williams sent a cease-and-desist letter to Trump after the president played Williams' 2014 smash hit "Happy" at a political event in the Midwest, just hours after nearly a dozen people were gunned down in a Pittsburgh synagogue in October 2018.
Aerosmith, R.E.M. and Queen are among the other artists who have objected to the president's use of their music.
Trump isn't the only politician turned down by musicians with catchy songs. Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the U.S.A." was co-opted by politicians like President Ronald Reagan and former GOP presidential nominee Bob Dole after it came out in 1984, forcing Springsteen to push back.
And ABBA, Van Halen, Cyndi Lauper, Al Green, Eminem, Katrina and the Waves and more have all had to stop the music.
More: 35 musicians who famously told politicians: Don't use my song
Contributing: Cydney Henderson, Associated Press
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Prince estate: Trump had no permission to play 'Purple Rain' at rally