Hours after 11 worshippers were brutally killed at a Pittsburgh synagogue by a deranged gunman over the weekend, the president of the United States of America, Donald Trump, decided to go ahead with a planned rally in Indiana.
To add insult to injury, award-winning African-American artist Pharrell Williams’ hit song “Happy” was played at the rally obviously without his permission.
In a cease and desist letter sent to the president on Monday, Williams’ attorney, Howard King instructed the president not to play any of the Grammy award-winning artist’s songs at his rallies.
“Pharrell has not, and will not, grant you permission to publicly perform or otherwise broadcast or disseminate any of his music,” King wrote in the letter obtained by USA TODAY.
“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,” the letter further reads.
“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,” the letter continued.
“Demand is hereby made that you cease and desist from any further unauthorized use of Pharrell Williams’ music.” King added.
This isn’t the first time Trump has had issues with artists for playing their songs at his rallies without their permission. Prince’s estate, Adele, Aerosmith, The Rolling Stones, Queen, among others have barred the controversial president from playing their music at such gatherings.
Here’s s video of the song in case you haven’t heard it before.
