Rapper T.I. calls out Trump for using ‘Whatever You Like’ song in anti-Joe Biden ad
Rapper T.I. responded Thursday after President Donald Trump posted a video repurposing one of his hit songs in an anti-Joe Biden ad on Snapchat.
In the ad that has been shared on social media, Trump’s campaign used a parody video posted by YouTube creator Jagilsdorf. The video uses T.I.’s 2008 song “Whatever You Like” but changes the lyrics Instead of T.I.’s lyrics, “I want your body, need yo’ body. Long as you got me you won’t need nobody,” the video changes them to, “I don’t want Joe Biden, need Joe Biden. Long as you’ve got me you don’t need Joe Biden.”
Text of the edited lyrics is shown in the video along with images of Biden.
The creator of the video posted in comments on YouTube that he was “honestly pumped” his video was used in a campaign ad, but he wishes “he would’ve given me credit.”
In a statement to Complex and Hot New Hip Hop, a representative for T.I. said the Trump campaign posting the video was “out of desperation.”
“The video distorts lyrics from his No. 1 charting song by misrepresenting the lyrics through text language and distortion of his recorded voice,” according to the statement reads. “It goes without saying that T.I. would not in any way ever support the divisive policies and destructive propaganda of Trump. The people of our country deserve far better than this.”
T.I. has not commented on social media about the ad. He has long been vocal against the president and said in a profanity-filled Instagram post while Trump was running for office in 2016, “Nobody who support me will support you.”
In 2018 he posted a video to Twitter in which he spray painted a Trump portrait with a naked Melania Trump lookalike. The first lady was “furious” over the video, according to HollywoodLife.com.
T.I.’s representative said the rapper “does not authorize it or consent” to the Trump campaign using his song in the ad.
“It is sad, but expected, that this president would stoop so low to use his property without authority to manipulate the community,” the statement reads. “T.I.’s legal team and media partners are moving expeditiously to block this unauthorized use and set the record straight in no uncertain terms!”
The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment from McClatchy News.
Clarification: An earlier version of this article credited the Trump campaign with the edited version of the T.I. song. A YouTube creator called Jagilsdorf posted the video in late April.
This story was originally published May 28, 2020 at 9:23 AM with the headline "Rapper T.I. calls out Trump for using ‘Whatever You Like’ song in anti-Joe Biden ad."