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Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene will make “no further use” of Dr. Dre’s “Still D.R.E.,” her attorneys promised, after the former N.W.A. rapper threatened to sue the Republican congresswoman for using his song in a video posted on her Twitter account last week.
Dre, born Andre Romelle Young, sent the Georgia lawmaker a cease-and-desist over her unlicensed use of his 1999 hit in a promotional video — featuring her strutting through the halls of Congress in slow motion while the song’s famous piano riff played on repeat.
“We are in receipt of your correspondence of January 9, 2023,” Greene’s lawyer wrote in a letter obtained by Billboard.
“On behalf of Congresswoman Greene, please be advised that no further use of Mr. Young’s copyright will be made by a political committee or via social media outlet she controls.”
Dre, 57, slapped a copyright claim on the song the same day Greene posted her video, forcing Twitter to take the clip down. The rapper then told TMZ that he doesn’t license his music to politicians, “especially someone as divisive and hateful as this one.”
In response, Greene tweeted out a statement she gave to TMZ with the caption “The next episode ..” that explained why she played the video with music but no lyrics.
“While I appreciate the creative chord progression,” Greene told the outlet, addressing the rapper, “I would never play your words of violence against women and police officers, and your glorification of the thug life and drugs.”
Howard King, an attorney for Dre, had threatened to sue for copyright infringement, saying that as a member of Congress, Greene “should be making laws not breaking laws.”
“The United States Copyright Act says a lot of things, but one of the things it says is that you can’t use someone else’s song for your political campaign promotions unless you get permission from the owner of the copyright in the song, a step you failed to take,” King wrote in a letter to Greene.
Greene’s video, which lasts about two minutes, opens with a shot of the US Capitol before cutting to a sign outside her office that reads, “There are two genders: Male & Female ‘Trust the Science!'”
After Greene walks out of her office, the music kicks in.
Greene can be seen in the clip clapping her hands in glee and speaking to people who appear to be congressional staff.
Later in the video, a voice can be heard saying, “She held up her phone and on the phone it said DT” before featuring a beaming House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) banging his gavel.
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