Maná has pulled its Nicky Jam collaboration from music streaming platforms following the reggaetón star’s endorsement of Donald Trump.
On Sunday (Sept. 15), the legendary Mexican rock band posted a statement on social media explaining why the group decided to remove its 2016 reimagining of “De Pies a Cabeza” from streaming services after Nicky’s public endorsement of Trump over the weekend.
“Maná doesn’t work with racists,” the Fher Olvera-fronted band wrote in Spanish on Instagram, drawing mixed reactions in the comments section.
“For the past 30 years, Maná has supported and defended the rights of Latinos around the world. There is no business or promotion that is worth more than the dignity of our people. That is why today Maná decided to remove its collaboration with Nicky Jam on ‘Pies a Cabeza’ from all digital platforms.”
Maná and Jam’s reggae-tinged version of the band’s 1992 classic song “De Pies a Cabeza” premiered in 2016, reaching No. 1 on Billboard‘s Latin Airplay chart. At the time of its release, Nicky called Maná one of his idols and said, “I never thought I’d work with them so this is a blessing.”
Maná’s decision to pull “De Pies a Cabeza” from streamers comes after Trump’s Las Vegas campaign rally on Friday (Sept. 13), during which Nicky took the stage to support the former president as he faces off against Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 U.S. presidential election.
“It’s an honor to meet you, Mr. President. People that come from where I come from, they don’t meet the president. So I’m lucky,” said the 43-year-old reggaetón vet, who relocated from Massachusetts to Puerto Rico at a young age. “We need you. We need you back, right? We need you to be the president.”
In what’s become an embarrassing viral moment, Trump mistakenly referred to Nicky as a “she” when introducing him to the Vegas crowd for his endorsement speech.
“Do you know Nicky? She’s hot. Where’s Nicky?” Trump said while looking off to the side for the “X” singer. A few moments later, the ex-POTUS spotted the Latin star and realized his mistake. “Oh, look, I’m glad he came up,” Trump said as he patted Nicky’s shoulder.
Maná has been a strong supporter of Democratic causes over the years, particularly related to immigration reform and other Latino related issues. “The way Trump expresses himself about Mexicans and the Latin community is incredible,” Olvera tweeted in Spanish following a 2016 presidential debate. “Like a lot of people have perceived it, he is a racist.” The Mexican band also celebrated President Joe Biden’s 2020 win, writing on Twitter (now X), “Values won over provision. There’s unity in diversity.”
Nicky Jam is one of many music stars who have endorsed the 78-year-old businessman-turned-politician in his 2024 re-election bid. In late August, Puerto Rican reggaetón stars Anuel AA and Justin Quiles took the stage to support Trump at a rally in Johnstown, Penn. Other artists who support the former president include Jason Aldean, Kid Rock, Kodak Black, Lil Pump, Sexyy Red and Billy Ray Cyrus.
See Maná’s post on Instagram below.
