Eminem Demands Vivek Ramaswamy to Stop Using “Lose Yourself” On Presidential Campaign Trail

Eminem isn’t playing with businessman and Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. On Monday (August 28), a letter from the Detroit rap icon and Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) went public after a clip of Ramaswamy performing “Lose Yourself” at the Iowa State Fair went viral. According to reports Eminem, born Marshall Mathers, contacted the music company directly after seeing the video.

"This letter serves as notice … that BMI has received a communication from Marshall B. Mathers, III, professionally known as Eminem, objecting to the Vivek Ramaswamy campaign's use of Eminem's musical compositions," the letter begins.

It continues, “'BMI will consider any performance of the Eminem Works by the Vivek 2024 campaign from this date forward to be a material breach of the Agreement for which BMI reserves all rights and remedies with respect thereto.”

Apparently, Ramaswamy’s fandom of the 15-time Grammy-winner runs deep, as he shared in a 2006 interview with his alma mater that “Lose Yourself” is considerably his ‘life’s theme song.’

“I think that children should be forced to listen to it,” Ramaswamy said at the time, “the edited version, of course.”

Elsewhere in the interview, the 38-year-old revealed his rap alter ego named ‘Da Vek,’ as he once performed onstage during a 2004 Busta Rhymes concert.

Ramaswamy joins a lengthy list of political figures who’ve been demanded by musicians to refrain from using their music at campaign stops and public events. Over the years, former President Donald Trump has spawned vitriol from the likes of the Village People and the estate of Issac Hayes.