White House Thanks SZA for the ‘Attention’ After She Slammed Its ‘Evil’ Tactic of ‘Rage Baiting’
The White House is continuing to goad SZA after the hitmaker slammed its recent series of “rage baiting” publicity stunts.
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In a statement to Variety shortly after SZA called out the Donald Trump administration’s “evil” and “boring” strategy of using popular songs to try and force responses out of artists, White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said on Wednesday (Dec. 10), “Thank you, SZA.”
The representative also sarcastically praised the Grammy winner “for drawing even more attention to the tremendous work America’s ICE officers are doing by arresting dangerous criminal illegal aliens from American communities.”
The White House first pulled SZA into the conversation a couple days prior by posting a video condemning “criminal illegal aliens” set to her “Big Boy” song lyric, “It’s cuffing season.”
Rather than commenting on the video directly, the R&B star wrote on X, “White House rage baiting artists for free promo is PEAK DARK.”
She also ripped the administration’s “inhumanity” and use of “shock and [awe] tactics.”
Jackson’s response to SZA’s remarks seems to all but confirm that the White House is purposefully pairing social media posts with tracks by openly liberal musicians, who then feel compelled to distance themselves from the administration by commenting publicly. In November, Olivia Rodrigo disavowed the use of her song “All-American Bitch” in a reel glorifying ICE, writing, “don’t ever use my songs to promote your racist, hateful propaganda,” while Sabrina Carpenter slammed a similar video using her track “Juno” as “evil and disgusting” earlier this month.
As a result, the White House gains even more exposure. In its latest use of headline-making use of a buzzy song, the Department of Homeland Security paired footage of its highly controversial strikes on alleged drug boats with LL Cool J’s “Mama Said Knock You Out” — all while American citizens, politicians and human rights organizations alike are questioning the legality of the deadly military operations.
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