Eminem, who is famously not into Republican presidential candidates, has sent a cease and desist to Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. The Daily Mail originally shared the letter, and representatives for Eminem confirmed its legitimacy to Variety. Ramaswamy performed “Lose Yourself” while campaigning at the Iowa State Fair and claimed to have cleared the campaign’s use of the song with the music licenser Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI). A letter from BMI to the Ramaswamy campaign, dated August 23, clarified that Eminem is not OK with any of this.
“BMI has received a communication from Marshall B. Mathers, III, professionally known as Eminem, objecting to the Vivek Ramaswamy campaign’s use of Eminem’s musical compositions (the ‘Eminem Works’) and requesting that BMI remove all Eminem Works from the Agreement,” the letter reads. “BMI will consider any performance of the Eminem Works by the Vivek 2024 campaign from this date forward to be a material breach of the Agreement for which BMI reserves all rights and remedies with respect thereto.”
Ramaswamy gave an interview to The New York Times on August 19 saying he identifies with Eminem—“the idea of being an underdog, people having low expectations of you.” The headline reads: “Vivek Ramaswamy Loves Eminem. And He Doesn’t Care If the Feeling Is Mutual.” (The feeling, seemingly, is not mutual.)
Eminem was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame last year.
