SZA recently spoke out against the Trump administration because her song was featured in a video released by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The 34-year-old singer reacted strongly on X (formerly Twitter) Wednesday after the White House used her song, “Big Boys,” in a video. The video showed ICE officers in military-style uniforms making arrests, which the singer objected to.
The caption, ‘WE HEARD IT’S CUFFING SEASON. Bad news for criminals who are in the country illegally. Good news for America,’ quickly received strong criticism.
SZA said the message was intentionally designed to provoke a reaction from artists, and she quickly criticized both the message itself and the use of her work in it.
The artist criticized the White House for deliberately provoking outrage from artists, calling it a cynical strategy to gain attention. She described it as ‘peak dark,’ ‘inhumane,’ and ‘boring,’ suggesting it relies on shock tactics and is ultimately malicious.
The criticism arrives as disagreements grow between musicians and the administration. The administration has been repeatedly using popular songs without permission, leading to public complaints from well-known artists including Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo, Céline Dion, and Bruce Springsteen.
I was really disappointed to see the White House respond to SZA’s valid concerns by focusing on promoting ICE’s actions instead of actually addressing what she brought up. It felt like they completely missed the point and used her platform to push their own agenda, which was frustrating to watch.
As a lifestyle expert, I’ve been following the recent conversations sparked by SZA, and I want to highlight the important work our ICE officers are doing. They’re bravely working to remove dangerous criminals who are illegally in the country from our communities, and I appreciate them bringing attention to this critical effort.
“Big Boys” first appeared in a digital short for Saturday Night Live in 2022 and quickly became popular with viewers during the show featuring the artist.
This surprising use is similar to a recent issue with Carpenter, whose image and clips from Saturday Night Live were used just days before in a different video connected to ICE.
A clip from December 5th changed what Carpenter originally said to Marcello Hernández, swapping the word ‘hot’ for ‘illegal,’ and then showed a series of images of ICE officers arresting people.
In response, the 26-year-old star declared the ‘video is evil and disgusting.’
‘Do not ever involve me or my music to benefit your inhumane agenda,’ she fired back.
Recent conflicts are happening alongside a dramatic increase in the number of immigrants detained by ICE who have no criminal history. ICE data shows a 2,000% jump in these detentions since January, reaching levels not seen since 2003 after the 9/11 attacks.
Rodrigo criticized the government when her song “All-American B” was featured in an Instagram post. The post promoted a CBP app encouraging undocumented immigrants to leave the country voluntarily, or risk facing legal consequences.
‘Don’t ever use my songs to promote your racist, hateful propaganda,’ Rodrigo wrote.
Instead of apologizing, the Department of Homeland Security responded to the situation by saying that America appreciates its federal law enforcement officers and their dedication to keeping everyone safe. They encouraged Olivia Rodrigo to express her gratitude for their service rather than diminish their efforts.
The White House has also leaned into trolling.
Last November, the account parodied Taylor Swift’s song “The Fate of Ophelia,” renaming it “The Fate of America.” This happened even though Donald Trump had frequently criticized Swift and pointed out her support for Democratic politicians.
As someone who keeps a close eye on pop culture and current events, I’ve noticed a growing trend of artists speaking out when their work is used in ways they don’t approve of. Recently, the legendary Kenny Loggins, at 77 years young, publicly criticized Donald Trump for featuring his iconic song ‘Danger Zone’ in an AI-generated video. Apparently, the video – posted on Truth Social – depicted Trump as a fighter pilot seemingly attacking protesters, and Loggins was understandably upset about the association. It’s a reminder that artists have a right to control how their creations are used, and it’s interesting to see them taking a stand.
As a creator, it’s incredibly frustrating when your work is used without your consent. That’s exactly what happened with my song, ‘Danger Zone.’ Someone used it without asking, and honestly, I wouldn’t have given permission if they had. It’s about respecting artistic ownership, and this felt like a real violation of that.
SZA’s public criticism highlights a growing problem: the administration is increasingly using popular music and videos to promote its strict immigration policies. This is upsetting more and more artists, who feel their work is being misused for political purposes and is creating a deeper divide between them and President Trump’s team.
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2025-12-11 19:22