The dispute erupted this week when the White House posted a roughly 30-second video on X featuring clips of federal agents — including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel in tactical gear — carrying out arrests.
The clip was set to SZA’s performance of “Big Boys,” a track she originally performed on Saturday Night Live.
Accompanying the video, the White House caption read:
“WE HEARD IT’S CUFFING SZN. Bad news for criminal illegal aliens.
Great news for America.”
SZA took to social media to voice her outrage, posting on her X account:
“White House rage baiting artists for free promo is PEAK DARK … inhumanity + shock and awe tactics … Evil n Boring.”
Artist Outrage and Broader Backlash
SZA’s reaction reflects growing frustration among musicians whose work has been used in politically charged contexts without their consent.
Her manager, Terrence “Punch” Henderson, also criticized the administration’s strategy, accusing officials of “trying to provoke artists to respond in order to help spread propaganda and political agendas.”
SZA isn’t alone. Other artists have recently decried similar uses of their music:
Sabrina Carpenter slammed a prior immigration video that used her song “Juno,” calling that clip “evil and disgusting” and urging the White House to stop using her work to support immigration enforcement messaging.
Olivia Rodrigo, Celine Dion, Bruce Springsteen, R.E.M., and Linkin Park have also voiced objections to the use of their music in political or government content.
These incidents have fueled a broader conversation about artists’ rights and how government accounts use cultural works in political messaging.
White House Response
In response to criticism, a White House spokesperson said they were “grateful” for the attention the promotional video received and defended the administration’s portrayal of ICE activities, suggesting it highlighted the agency’s role in removing “dangerous criminal illegal aliens” from American communities.
The exchange underscores growing tensions between creative figures and political institutions over control of artistic content and its use in public discourse.
Legal experts note that while the government may invoke fair use defenses in some contexts, unauthorized political use of artists’ music continues to draw scrutiny from both creators and fans alike.
