A lineup announcement of musicians who supposedly agreed to perform at the “Great American State Fair” on Washington D.C.’s National Mall as part of Freedom 250 on Wednesday has sparked chaos among the performers. Morris Day, leader of the Time, promptly announced that a performance by his funk ensemble was “a no for me,” and others have followed suit.
Martina McBride on Thursday took to social media to “clear the air” and announce, “I will not be performing at the Great American State Fair on June 25th.” The singer said that while she was “presented with an opportunity to perform at a nonpartisan event,” the supposed show “turned out to be misleading.”
William King of the Commodores confirmed to Rolling Stone over the phone that the band would not be performing at the event. “Our music has always been our voice and we choose not to publicly affiliate with any single political party,” the band said in a statement on Instagram. “We support the betterment of all Americans.”
The initial lineup of musicians for the event — which was organized by Keith Krach, an appointee of President Trump — included Martina McBride, Flo Rida, Vanilla Ice, Young MC, C+C Music Factory, Milli Vanilli, the Commodores, and Bret Michaels. It didn’t take long for Day to distance himself from the event, who called the booking a “rumor” in a social media post.
Young MC, 59, announced late Wednesday night that he wouldn’t even dare bust a move at the event. “I HAVE INFORMED MY AGENTS THAT I WILL NOT BE PERFORMING AT THE FREEDOM 250 EVENT,” he wrote on Facebook. “The artists were never told about any political involvement with the event.”
Young MC told VIBE on Thursday, “I had no clue it was considered a ‘Trump-backed’ event, so that was new to me,” the rapper says. “My whole thing was ‘tell me what the event is, what it’s about, who you are, and then give me the choice of whether I want to do the event or not.’ I was never given that choice. I was told one thing and then it was a bait-and-switch. All the comments I’ve seen from the artists that have dropped out thought it was supposed to be a regular show in D.C.”
One member of C + C Music Factory, meanwhile, have said they’re excited to play the event. Freedom Williams, the rapper featured on “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)” and the group’s other hits, filmed himself (maybe) on the toilet to say he wanted to do it. “I don’t fuck with Trump,” he said. “I don’t give a fuck about Trump. I don’t give a fuck about Trump’s family. I don’t know the n—a. I’m from New York. I know the type of anarchy he creates. But the day I let you motherfuckers tell me what to do is the day I die.” He then said he’d vote for Genghis Khan, Hitler, and “motherfucking Ivan the Terrible before I let you n—as tell me what to motherfucking do.”
Robert Clivillés, one of the Music Factory’s namesake Cs, however, said he couldn’t back Williams’ screed in an Instagram post. Williams obtained the trademark to the group’s name in 2005 and has been performing without Clivillés. In a separate post, Clivillés commented that it was “Freedom Williams soley [sic] misrepresenting C&C Music Factory,” suggesting he was using the group’s name without permission. “Please vent on his personal page and know that this is not a C&C Music Factory Participation.” Moreover, he said the Music Factory “does not participate nor side with any specific political party.”
“Any political, ideological, religious, or personal viewpoints expressed by Freedom Williams are his own and should not be interpreted as reflecting my views, the views of David Cole’s estate, or the views of the original creators and producers behind C+C Music Factory,” Clivillés added in a statement to Rolling Stone.
Members of a group called the Real Milli Vanilli said they would not be performing at Freedom 250. “Others using the name ‘Milli Vanilli’ that appear on the advertisement should be considered a tribute band with no association vocally or musically to our sound or songs,” the group’s Jodie Rocco said in a statement posted to social media. Fab Morvan, the remaining face of the group, told Rolling Stone he will be performing.
“Despite any rumors out there, I will be performing at the Great American State Fair in Washington DC at the National Mall on June 26, as a part of The I Love the 90’s Tour,” he said in a statement. “I am here to entertain and unite people, not divide them. Let’s celebrate life & music and take a trip down memory lane. I feel honored to be a part of the Great American State Fair as it will celebrate the 250-Year anniversary of America with so many other accomplished artists.”
Early Friday morning, Michaels released a lengthy statement about his “difficult decision to step away from this performance.” “When this opportunity was originally presented to my team, it was described as a celebration of our country through music and a chance to honor our veterans, active military, first responders, teachers, and hardworking Americans from all walks of life,” he wrote. He said the show “evolved into something much more divisive than what I agreed to be a part of.”
Michaels went on to cite unspecified “concerns” about the safety of himself, his crew, and fans, “including threats that are completely unfounded and unforgivable.” “This isn’t about politics,” he wrote. “It’s about staying true to what I’ve always believed in. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions. That’s one of the freedoms our veterans have fought for and something I’ve always respected. But as a father, friend, and bandmate, I have to take threats and safety concerns seriously.”
Vanilla Ice’s manager, TQ Management, tells Rolling Stone that the rapper is looking forward to the concert. “Vanilla Ice is contracted and will perform at the Great American Fair at the National Mall on Friday, June 26,” the rep says. “He is proud to help celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary! Everyone is welcome to attend and celebrate USA’s Birthday and our Freedom!” (A rep for Flo Rida did not immediately respond to a request for comment.)
Trump’s appointee, Krach, outlined his goals for Freedom 250 in a statement on his website. “I am grateful to President Trump for the opportunity to execute his vision for Freedom 250,” he wrote. “At its core, Freedom 250 is a national movement — bringing states, businesses, organizations, and citizens together to honor our history, cherish our God-given freedoms, and help build a golden age of opportunity for the next 250 years.”
