DJ Sama’ Abdulhadi calls the Harris-Walz campaign ad

Palestinian DJ Sama’ Abdulhadi says he “did not approve” of his image being used in a new ad for Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign.

In a statement released on Tuesday (October 22) on social media, the techno producer wrote that “the use of this footage was unauthorized and was done without my consent. The use of this footage implies that I endorse Vice President Harris’ presidential candidacy, which is completely and utterly false; it is deeply offensive to my social, moral, and political beliefs and is misleading political advertising for Vice President Harris’ presidential campaign.”

The ad in question is titled “Detroit vs. Trump” and was released amid Harris and running mate Tim Walz’s strong campaign in the swing state in 2024. The ad features footage of Adulhadi performing at Detroit’s annual Movement festival last May.

“For the avoidance of doubt,” Abdulhadi’s statement continues, “I do not and have never endorsed Vice President Harris, and I am taking the necessary legal steps to ensure that this video is quickly retracted, to dispel any notion of association between me and the Vice President Harris’ campaign for the US presidency.” In the caption, he writes: “I’m Sama’ Abdulhadi and I did not approve this message! I do not endorse any American political party.”

Abdulhadi’s statement comes amid continued criticism of the Harris campaign by many Muslim and Arab Americans, given the Biden administration’s support for Israel amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. This conflict is estimated to have killed more than 40,000 Palestinians since the war began last October.

The New York Times reports that in an effort to win the votes of Arab and Muslim voters, the Harris campaign has “launched Facebook ads targeting Muslims, created WhatsApp channels and distributed fact sheets featuring Ms. Harris’s strongest statements about the war in Gaza .And in private meetings in living rooms and basements across the country, even in the battleground states of Michigan, Georgia and Pennsylvania, campaign workers are trying to reach voters who say they can stay. at home, vote third-party or even vote for former President Donald J. Trump because of the Biden administration’s policies in the Middle East.”

Green Party candidate Jill Stein commented on Abdulhadi’s post, writing: “Wow…amazing.”

Speaking at the Amsterdam Dance event last week in the Dutch capital, Abdulhadi spoke about his position as a Palestinian artist. “The resistance is doing what the people in the Arab world and what the young people in the universities are doing,” he said. “The popular movement is what’s pushing me to do things now, and that’s why I’m still DJing. I literally would have left the industry a year ago if it wasn’t for this; if it weren’t for the crowds I have now. Every concert I do now is a protest.”

With two weeks to go until Election Day on November 5, many other artists are rallying around the vice president. Eminem is scheduled to make a rare public appearance Tuesday night at a Detroit rally for Harris, where he is said to be introducing former President Barack Obama at the event in support of the vice president and Walz.