When Mitt Romney won the Florida primary on Tuesday, K’naan’s “Wavin Flag” was blaring out of the speakers.
K’naan was pissed.
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The Somali-born, Canadian-raised rapper did not give the potential Republican candidate permission to use his hit record.
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K’naan let his displeasure be known later that day on Twitter:
K’naan chatted with GlobalGrind the next day and we asked him specifically about the Romney situation. This is what he said:
“The dude is really the antithesis of what I write for. He’s talking about shutting the gate on immigration. The guy has no clue about anything to do with foreign policy. The latest thing he just said was that he’s not concerned for ‘the very poor.’ It’s kind of everything I come from that he’s against. Yet, he uses the benefit of my experience in his victory, which is really odd.
“The people who use my song, for whatever political concept, the views around have to fit with the nature of the song. Not necessarily even me. But the songs have ethics of their own. And so, I feel like the song is offended.”
K’naan also told us that he would seriously consider suing Mitt Romney, and if he would to win the suit, he would donate the money to a political cause he supports:
“I would happily take whatever benefit of the suit, if wherever successful, and contribute it to the Obama campaign.”
Romney’s camp responded to the socially conscious rapper, telling the New York Times in a email: “The song was used through our regular blanket license, but we respect K’naan’s statement and will not use his music again.”
