Two musical acts have already distanced themselves from the decidedly D-list and Trump-friendly Great American State Fair.
The free event, which will take place on the National Mall on June 27, will be part of the extended celebrations for America’s 250th birthday.
“The Great American State Fair will bring together people from all 56 states and territories to celebrate the traditions, innovation, music, military heritage, freedom and entrepreneurial spirit that define our nation,” Freedom 250 CEO Keith Krach said in a statement announcing the lineup.
Krach said the performers chosen “represent the very best of who we are, and the boundless opportunity ahead.”
However, the talent pool was drawn mainly from heritage acts without a hit in decades, many of which are not currently touring with their original lineup or have key members who have died.
The bill includes rappers Vanilla Ice, and Flo Rida, as well as country singer Martina McBride and Poison frontman Bret Michaels.
Michaels won the third season of Trump-hosted The Celebrity Apprentice in 2010.
Also included were controversial lip-synching duo Milli Vanilli (original member Rob Pilatus died in 1998, with Fab Morvan now fronting the act), Lionel Richie’s old band The Commodores, and dance act C+C Music Factory, fronted by Freedom Williams. Original member David Cole died in 1995.
However, Rapper Young MC, who had a hit in 1989 with “Bust a Move,” has already announced that he is leaving the bill, citing issues with the event’s presidential link.
“I HAVE INFORMED MY AGENTS THAT I WILL NOT BE PERFORMING AT THE FREEDOM 250 EVENT,” he posted on Instagram on Wednesday. “The artists were never told about any political involvement with the event. And despite the claims by the organizers that the event is non-partisan, SPIN magazine describes it as Trump-backed. I hope to perform in D.C. in the near future at an event that is not so politically charged.”
Morris Day and the Time, who were aligned with Prince and appear in Purple Rain, claimed that the “rumor” they were on the bill was not true.
“It’s a no from me,” Day posted on social media, withdrawing from the bill.
The Time formed in Minneapolis in 1981 and had hits with “Jungle Love” and “777-9311″. As well as frontman Morris Day, the band featured Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, who went on to become songwriters and producers behind hits for Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson, Boyz II Men, Usher, and Mariah Carey.
Fans were relieved by Day’s post, with one writing, “Thank you. I just let out the biggest exhale,” and another stating, “We all know you have better sense than that.”
However, C+C Music Factory frontman Williams revealed in an explicit Instagram post that his agent had not informed him the event had links to Trump when he was booked three months ago, but that he will still perform.
Williams told fans in a seven-minute video message he had been getting messages asking why he was “doing the Trump Freedom show.”
“He didn’t mention Trump. I’m getting all these texts, ‘We’re gonna cancel C+C Music Factory, this is going to be a terrible show’,” Williams said of the feedback to the announcement.
“So I told my agent, `Yeah, no, I ain’t good to do that’… I don’t f--- with Trump. I don’t give a f--- about Trump… I know the type of f---ing anarchy he creates. But the day I let you motherf-----s tell me what to do, is the day I die.”
Confirming he will perform and has no fear of being canceled, he also pointed out his audience is “90 percent” white people, and said, “70 percent of those white people probably voted for Republicans.”
Not one of MAGA’s more high-profile musical favorites, such as Carrie Underwood, Nicki Minaj, or Kid Rock, has so far been added to the bill.
Vanilla Ice, who has not troubled the Billboard Chart since “Ice Ice Baby” in 1990, is a prominent Trump supporter and has performed at several New Year’s Eve parties at Mar-a-Lago.
The Daily Beast has contacted Freedom 250 for comment.
