"Jump Around" by House of Pain is a classic song to use at sporting events. It always hypes up a crowd and gets a few people to do an awkward shuffle. So it makes sense that Donald Trump has been using the song at his rallies. But House of Pain frontman and acoustic singer songwriter Everlast is having none of it.
The legendary rapper tweeted out a message to Trump, demanding that he stop using "Jump Around" at his rallies. And, of course, it was filled with a few insults and the threat of one of Trump's favorite things -- a lawsuit.
Hey @realDonaldTrump stop using my song jump around at your rallies you piece of shit. Cease and desist is coming you scumbag.
— Mr. Whitefolks (@OGEverlast) April 5, 2016
Speaking to Billboard, Everlast questioned the Donald's skills as a businessman for not recognizing that he needs a license or written permission to use an artist's song. "The reason he doesn't ask anybody - a lot of people have asked him to cease and desist -- [is] because every f*cking person would say, 'No, f*ck you.'"
He got a bit more specific. "That's hip-hop, man, that is black culture -- what the f*ck do you think you're doing with it?" The enraged musician asked. "One of the most well-known white hip-hop groups... they're not stupid, the people around him. They're trying to create these inroads to people's demographic cubbyholes, so they can be like, 'Yeah, we're down with hip-hop. Yeah, we're f*cking cool.'"
House of Pain's cease-and-desist is far from the first time a musician asked the controversial republican candidate to stop using their music.
In June 2015, Neil Young criticized Trump for not asking to use the his "Rockin' in the Free World" according to TIME. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders has since asked for rights to the song, and now it plays every time he hits the stage at a rally.
Claims of copyright infringement have popped up in past elections notes The Hollywood Reporter. Sometimes an artist just wants to protect their copyrighted material, but like Everlast's grumble it can also be political. Often its both. Tom Petty had to ask Michelle Bachman in 2011 and George Bush in 2000 to stop playing his songs without permission. Ronald Reagan tried using Bruce Springsteen's "Born In The U.S.A." in 1984 but the New Jersey liberal said no way.
Everlast really should license "Jump Around" to some other politicians, though. They have to get people out of their seats somehow.
