Eminem has formally requested that US Republican presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy stop using the rapper’s music during presidential campaigns and rallies.
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The request comes after Ramaswamy, who is looking to enter 2024’s US presidential elections, rapped along to Eminem’s hit ‘Lose Yourself’ at the Iowa state fair earlier this month. Ramaswamy has also since started using the track as his walkout song.
Now, per an exclusive letter obtained by Daily Mail, music licenser Broadcast Music Inc (BMI) has issued a letter dated August 23 to Ramaswamy stating it received an official request from Eminem demanding that the 38-year-old candidate no longer be allowed use his music.
Lawyers for rapper Eminem have sent Vivek Ramaswamy a cease and desist letter demanding the candidate stop using his music on the campaign trail.
No more extremely cringey ‘Lose Yourself’ performances for Vivek! https://t.co/ygni1NSBsU pic.twitter.com/vsI9JNkXFV
— Sawyer Hackett (@SawyerHackett) August 28, 2023
BMI’s letter to Ramaswamy adds that it “letter serves as notice that the Eminem Works are excluded from the Agreement effective immediately.”
“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,” the letter read.
A spokesperson for Ramaswamy said to the Daily Mail in response to the cease and desist: “Vivek just got on the stage and cut loose. To the American people’s chagrin, we will have to leave the rapping to the real Slim Shady”.
Ramaswamy’s love for Eminem’s music and rap in general has widely reported per The Guardian, with the politician revealing to his alma mater Harvard’s campus newspaper The Crimson that he used to rap under the name Da Vek. He also told them that Eminem’s ‘Lose Yourself’ was his favourite song.