Victor Willis, a founding member of the Village People, has come under fire for his past decision to allow President-elect Donald Trump to play their iconic song “Y.M.C.A.” at campaign rallies. In a recent Facebook post, Willis defended his choice, stating that he didn’t withdraw permissions because Trump seemed genuinely enthusiastic about the song and was having fun with it.
Willis claimed that allowing “Y.M.C.A.” to be used at Trump’s events has led to significant financial gains for the song, with its chart position rising from #2 to #1 on Billboard. He expressed gratitude towards Trump for choosing his song and denied the common characterization of “Y.M.C.A.” as a gay anthem.
Willis clarified that he wrote the song based on his knowledge of San Francisco’s locations, not specifically for the LGBTQ+ community. He used 1970s Black slang to describe hanging out with boys, and there was nothing inherently “gay” about the lyrics. The musician plans to sue news organizations that falsely label the song as a gay anthem.
The Village People initially offered Trump permission to use their music but later revoked it due to his administration’s response to peaceful Black Lives Matter protests in 2020. However, Willis now believes that allowing “Y.M.C.A.” to be used at Trump’s events has been beneficial for its financial success.
Source: https://ew.com/village-people-victor-willis-defends-donald-trump-ymca-8754479