Eminem wants Vivek Ramaswamy to stop using his music.
The Detroit rapper Eminem sends a legal notice to Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, for using his music in his campaign trail.
Just recently, Ramaswamy performed an impromptu version of Eminem’s classic “Lose Yourself” to conclude his appearance at the Iowa State Fair earlier this month. According to The Daily Mail, Eminem’s representation and music licenser BMI confirmed that a cease-and-desist letter was sent to Ramaswamy’s campaign lawyer, “objecting to the campaign’s use of Eminem’s musical compositions.”
“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 reads.
“Vivek just got on the stage and cut loose,” Vivek’s campaign spokeswoman, Tricia McLaughlin said. “To the American people’s chagrin, we will have to leave the rapping to the real Slim Shady.”
“I did not grow up in the circumstances he did,” Ramaswamy told the Times about relating to Slim Shady. “But the idea of being an underdog, people having low expectations of you, that part speaks to me.”
Vivek responded to the notice with another Eminem lyric on Twitter. “Will The REAL Slim Shady Please Stand Up? He didn’t just say what I think he did, did he?,” he wrote while tagging the rapper.
Will The REAL Slim Shady Please Stand Up? He didn’t just say what I think he did, did he? @Eminem 😅 https://t.co/iOOuG6SU2D
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) August 28, 2023
The classic Lose Yourself was released back in 2002 as part of soundtrack to Eminem’s critically acclaimed rap film 8 Mile. It was composed and produced by Eminem, longtime collaborator Jeff Bass, one half of the production duo Bass Brothers, and Luis Resto. The track became Eminem’s first Billboard Hot 100 number one single, and remained on top for twelve consecutive weeks. The track won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, which made it the first hip hop song to receive the award, and also won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Song and Best Rap Solo Performance.
