Dr. Dre Blocks Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene From Using His Music
Photo Credit: Theo Wargo/Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Dr. Dre has sent a cease-and-desist letter to Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene from using his music in any context.
Dr. Dre has put his foot down against Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. Last Monday (January 9), the Georgia politician released a video of herself walking through Congress and boasting that she helped fellow Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy get elected as House speaker. The video also featured Snoop Dogg-assisted single “Still D.R.E.,” from Dre’s 1999 album 2001, which Greene walks slow-motion to before holding a phone call with former United States President Donald Trump, referenced as ‘DT.’
The video has since been removed from Twitter “in response to a report from the copyright owner,” but Dre, whose legal name is Andre Romelle Young, denounced the clip for exploiting his music.
“I don’t license my music to politicians, especially someone as divisive and hateful as this one,” Young said to TMZ last Monday (January 9).
Since then, Young’s lawyer Howard King, sent a letter to Greene saying, “Mr. Young [Dre] has not, and will never, grant you permission to broadcast or disseminate any of his music.”
King added, “you would have a passing familiarity with the laws of our country. It’s possible, though, that laws governing intellectual property are a little too arcane and insufficiently populist for you to really have spent much time on.”
“We’re writing because we think an actual lawmaker should be making laws not breaking laws, especially those embodied in the constitution by the founding fathers,” the letter continued.
In response to Young and King’s rejection of using “Still D.R.E.,” Greene’s Twitter account was locked before the Georgia representative confirmed that she would no longer use the Compton-raised artist’s music for her political agenda.
“On behalf of Congresswoman Greene, please be advised that no further use of Mr Young’s copyright will be made by a political committee or via social media outlet she controls,” a letter from Greene’s representative read.