Frankie Sullivan, one of the writers of "Eye of the Tiger," had a succinct message for 2024 GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley: "Stop using my f***ing song!"
In an interview published Wednesday in Billboard, the Survivor band member said the use of his music by politicians is "not appropriate." Haley played "Eye of the Tiger," a 1982 mega-hit, at the Wednesday launch of her 2024 presidential run.
"That song belongs with the 'Rocky' franchise and they don't ask because they'd get a no," Sullivan, 68, said. "Absolutely."
"I don't care who it is, I don't think it's appropriate, especially with 'Tiger,' since it's such a special song," the musician said. "I have no idea why any politician would play that as a walk on."
"I would say you have to have balls … but in this situation that doesn't apply," he reportedly joked.
Haley, South Carolina's former Republican governor, is the first Republican to declare she is running in 2024 since former President Donald Trump announced his bid for the GOP nomination in November.
This is not the first time Survivor's guitarist has taken issue with Republicans using his music.
According to The Hill, Sullivan sued former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., in 2012 for using "Eye of the Tiger" at political events without getting approval. Using the song without the band's permission cost Mike Huckabee's presidential campaign $25,000 in 2016. The former Arkansas governor had played the song at a 2015 campaign rally.
Sullivan told Billboard he has grown increasingly tired of playing this game with politicians, though he does not expect to serve Haley with a lawsuit.
"I'm amused, but is this s*** really still going on?" he said.