By Gloria Ogbonna
Singer SZA has sharply criticized the White House after officials used her song “Big Boy” in a social media video promoting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportation efforts.
The track, originally created for a 2022 Saturday Night Live sketch, was used without her approval — and the artist made it clear she was furious.
The controversy began when the White House posted the video with the caption:
“We heard it’s cuffing szn. Bad news for criminal illegal aliens. Great news for America.”
The post attempted to play on the song’s lyrics and viral popularity, framing ICE deportations as something to celebrate.
SZA responded immediately on X (formerly Twitter), writing just two cutting words:
“Evil n Boring.”
She then expanded her criticism, accusing the White House of deliberately provoking artists for attention:
“White House rage baiting artists for free promo is PEAK DARK… inhumanity + shock and aw tactics. Evil n Boring.”
Her longtime manager Punch also condemned the move, calling it manipulative:
“Trying to provoke artists to respond in order to help spread propaganda and political agendas is nasty business. Knock it off.”
Rather than backing down, the White House escalated the exchange.
In a statement to Variety, spokeswoman Abigail Jackson fired back, saying:
“Thank you, SZA, for drawing even more attention to the tremendous work America’s ICE officers are doing by arresting dangerous criminal illegal aliens from American communities.”
https://twitter.com/sza/status/1998864507855319376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
The situation mirrors a similar clash last week involving pop star Sabrina Carpenter, who blasted the White House for using her song “Juno” in another pro-ICE video.
Carpenter wrote:
“This video is evil and disgusting. Do not ever involve me or my music to benefit your inhumane agenda.”
WE HEARD IT'S CUFFING SZN. ⛓️
Bad news for criminal illegal aliens. Great news for America. pic.twitter.com/cuXCdJjxWY
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) December 9, 2025
With two major artists calling out the administration in less than two weeks, tensions are rising between the White House’s aggressive immigration messaging and the musicians whose work is being used to promote it.
Whether the administration will continue using pop music to bolster ICE campaigns — despite backlash from the artists themselves — remains to be seen.
Source Breitbrat
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