Pharrell Williams to Trump: Stop Playing ‘Happy’ at Rallies
NOTHING HAPPY ABOUT IT
The artist also criticized the president for playing the song at a rally on the same day 11 people were killed at a Pittsburgh synagogue.
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Lawyers for artist Pharrell Williams sent a cease and desist letter to President Trump Monday after Williams' hit song “Happy” was played at a rally on the same day people were gunned down at a Pittsburgh synagogue, according to the letter obtained by The Hollywood Reporter. “On the day of the mass murder of 11 human beings at the hands of a deranged ‘nationalist,’ you played his song ‘Happy’ to a crowd at a political event in Indiana,” read the letter. “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… Pharrell has not, and will not, grant you permission to publicly perform or otherwise broadcast or disseminate any of his music.” Robert Bowers allegedly shot 11 at the Tree of Life synagogue on Saturday, and he had a history of criticizing the president for not being anti-Jew enough. Trump has previously been told by various artists—including Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and R.E.M.—to stop playing their music at his rallies.
