The music community has offered a wide spectrum of opinions on President-elect Donald Trump. YG and Nipsey Hussle left little room for speculation with their DJ Swish-produced “FDT,” while Riff Raff said it would take $50,000 for him to perform at Trump's inauguration. If recent reports are to be believed, artists aren’t particularly enthusiastic about lending their talents to mark Trump’s ascendance to the country’s highest office.
“They are willing to pay anything,” wrote Itay Hod of The Wrap, citing unnamed sources. “The insider said the Trump negotiator also offered to pay him for delivering top talent, saying, ‘Name your price.’”
Sir Elton John and his team shot down rumors of performing at Trump’s inauguration after Trump staffer Anthony Scaramucci told BBC’s Hardtalk Elton John was booked for a performance celebrating Trump’s election.
Mötley Crüe has also been added to the list of musical acts not performing, although according to the band’s lead singer Vince Neil, the choice wasn’t theirs to make.
“So we were invited,” Neil told TMZ. “Then it turns out when the Republicans won, we were uninvited.”
Trump’s team denied any claims of having trouble booking talent or paying artists to perform.
“No one with any official position at, or official relationship with, the Presidential Inaugural Committee, is engaging in the conduct described,” Trump’s Presidential Inaugural Committee spokesman Boris Epshteyn told The Wrap. “We are focused on organizing an exciting and uniting celebration of freedom and democracy while following all rules, regulations, and appropriate standards of conduct.”
The Presidential Inauguration is scheduled to take place Jan. 20, 2017 in Washington, D.C.
