Exodus as stars pull out of Trump-linked 'Freedom 250' festival: 'Artists never told'

Cracks are beginning to show in the MAGA-linked Freedom 250 festival, an event billed as marking the country's 250th anniversary featuring a number of musical performers of all genres and backgrounds, as artists uncomfortable with the event's increasingly politicized direction begin to exit.The trouble began with Morris Day, who denied any involvement with the event despite having been advertised as being in the lineup, according to Bring Me The News.The famed Minneapolis star was posted in the line-up for the multi-day festival on Washington, D.C.'s National Mall. Other acts included Milli Vanilli, Vanilla ICE and Flo Rida, according to the report. However, after his name appeared on promotional material, Day took to social media to say, “Contrary to rumor: Morris Day The Time will not be performing at the Great American State Fair.”It is unclear whether he was ever formally booked to the event in the first place.Day's disavowal was followed closely by Young MC, the rap star behind Bust a Move, who had also been featured in promotional images for the event.I HAVE INFORMED MY AGENTS THAT I WILL NOT BE PERFORMING AT THE FREEDOM 250 EVENT, wrote Young MC on Facebook. The artists were never told about any political involvement with the event. And despite the claims by the organizers that the event is non-partisan, SPIN magazine describes it as Trump-backed. I hope to perform in D.C. in the near future at an event that is not so politically charged.