Every artist who's dropped out of the controversial Freedom 250 event so far

Britt HayesFri, May 29, 2026 at 10:08 PM UTC

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Young MC; Bret Michaels; Martina McBride
Credit: Mat Hayward/Getty; Cindy Ord/Getty; Michael Tullberg/GettyKey Points -

Multiple artists have dropped out of the Great American State Fair, a 16-day event celebrating America's 250th birthday in Washington, D.C.

The musicians include Bret Michaels, Martina McBride, and Young MC.

Some said they were misled by the organization putting on the event, Freedom 250, which bills itself as "non-partisan."

Just two days after the Freedom 250 organization announced the concert lineup for the Great American State Fair, many of the musicians slated to perform have dropped out.

Set to take place in Washington, D.C. from June 25 to July 10, the event celebrating the United States' 250th birthday is being organized by Freedom 250, which describes itself as a "nonpartisan" group despite being closely affiliated with President Donald Trump. On May 27, Freedom 250 revealed the musicians expected to perform as part of the concert series at the event, including Bret Michaels of Poison, country star Martina McBride, and Vanilla Ice.

Within two days, the majority of the music artists have dropped out, with some saying they were misled about the organizers behind the event. Of the remaining artists, Vanilla Ice remains committed to performing, which is perhaps unsurprising since the rapper previously performed at a New Year’s Eve party at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago mansion in 2020.

C+C Music Factory's Freedom Williams is unsure about the gig; in a video posted to Instagram, taken while he was sitting on a toilet, Williams railed against Trump and the administration before saying he was inclined to take the job to spite critical left-wing commenters. Flo Rida is the only artist who has yet to comment on the situation at all.

In a statement provided to Entertainment Weekly, a Freedom 250 spokesperson said, "Freedom 250 is a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) dedicated to uniting Americans around the nation’s 250th anniversary. Freedom 250 is focused on our signature celebrations and events that honor our history and engage all Americans — welcoming all who share our goal of commemorating this milestone in a way that uplifts and unites America."

EW has additionally been told that the event is not affiliated with the White House. A description on the official Freedom 250 website reads, "Working together with the White House Task Force 250, federal agencies, and the Commission, Freedom 250 serves as the official public-private partnership that connects, aligns, and amplifies national and local efforts to deliver the defining presidential moments of this anniversary year."

Below, we're rounding up all of the artists who have dropped out of the Freedom 250 concert event so far.

01 of 06

Young MC

Young MC performs in New Jersey in 2016
Credit: Gilbert Carrasquillo/Getty

Young MC was the first artist to drop out of the Freedom 250 event. Just hours after the initial lineup was announced, the "Bust a Move" rapper posted to Facebook: "I HAVE INFORMED MY AGENTS THAT I WILL NOT BE PERFORMING AT THE FREEDOM 250 EVENT," adding that "artists were never told about any political involvement with the event."

Young MC pointed to media reports about Trump's involvement with the event, "despite the claims by the organizers that the event is non-partisan."

02 of 06

Morris Day and the Time

Morris Day performs in Georgia in 2023
Credit: Paras Griffin/Getty

That same day, Morris Day of Morris Day and the Time announced that his group would also be sitting out the event. In a post captioned "It's a no for me," Day wrote, "Contrary to rumor, Morris Day and the Time will not be performing at the 'Great American State Fair.'"

Fans of the "Jungle Love" group, which was founded by Prince in 1981, were thrilled with Day's decision. "Thank you. I just let out the biggest exhale," read one comment. "Thank God! I was about to give Morris the side eye," said another.

03 of 06

Martina McBride

Martina McBride performs in Nashville in 2025
Credit: Jason Kempin/Getty

Country music star Martina McBride took to Instagram on May 28 to announce that she would not be performing at the Great American State Fair.

"I would like to talk to you and clear the air. I will not be performing at the Great American State Fair on June 25th," McBride wrote. "I was presented with an opportunity to perform at a nonpartisan event but that turned out to be misleading. I asked lots of questions and was assured this was a nonpartisan event that was meant to celebrate ALL 50 states. In my mind I thought this was a great way to celebrate the states and also bring people together in the way that only music can. I saw it as just a bigger version of so many state fairs I have performed at over the years, celebrating community and what makes each state special. Sounds fun, right? Wholesome even. Yesterday things started changing and what we were told is, in fact, not what is happening."

McBride went on to say, "I've spent my entire career singing songs about real people with real issues. I've been blessed with the opportunity to be a voice for those who have felt like they didn't have one. It greatly upsets me that any fan who may have been moved by my music may now feel like I’m abandoning the meaning behind those songs. I assure you, that is not the case. I appreciate every single fan who has reached out. I hope to get back to the DC area very soon."

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04 of 06

The Commodores

The Commodores perform in Ontario in 2023
Credit: Jeremychanphotography/Getty

On May 28, classic funk and soul group The Commodores also announced their decision not to perform at the Freedom 250 event.

"The Commodores will not be performing at the Great American State Fair," the "Brick House" performers wrote in a post on Instagram. "Our music has always been our voice and we choose not to publicly affiliate with any single political party. We support the betterment of all Americans."

Commenters were largely supportive of the band's decision. "Thank you for turning this down," one commenter wrote. "Real folks are hard to find these days. So glad y'all are real. Rock on, Brothers! I will keep listening!"

Another wrote, "Thank you for protecting the brick house when the white house is under siege!"

05 of 06

Bret Michaels

Bret Michaels performs in New Jersey in 2018
Credit: Donald Kravitz/Getty

On May 29, hair-metal icon Bret Michaels also dropped out of the Freedom 250 event, citing "safety" concerns. The Poison frontman claimed his decision was not politically motivated and that he, too, was misled by organizers.

"When this opportunity was originally presented to my team, it was described as a celebration of our country through music and a chance to honor our veterans, active military, first responders, teachers, and hardworking Americans from all walks of life," Michaels wrote on Instagram. "As the son of a veteran, and coming from a family that has proudly served, that is something I have always been honored to support."

He continued, "My shows have never been about politics. They're about giving people a place to come together, have a great time, and forget about life's stresses for a few hours. Unfortunately, what was presented to us as a celebration of our country has evolved into something much more divisive than what I agreed to be a part of."

Michaels, who won Trump's reality competition series The Celebrity Apprentice in 2010, added, "I believe in our country, in the freedoms we're afforded, and in the idea that for over 250 years we have gone through both highs and lows together and remained resilient. Music is a universal language that unites us, not divides us."

06 of 06

Milli Vanilli?

Fab Morvan performs with the voice of Milli Vanilli, John Davis, in Germany in 2018
Credit: Tristar Media/Getty

Milli Vanilli’s involvement with Freedom 250 is a bit confusing and remains unsettled. As of today, Milli Vanilli consists only of Fab Morvan, the surviving member of the ’80s pop duo that was infamously discredited in 1990 when it was revealed that they had been lip-syncing. Morvan has reportedly retained ownership of the Milli Vanilli name and has continued to perform under it as a solo act following the death of his collaborator, Rob Pilatus, in 1998.

In a statement to the , Morvan confirmed that he will be performing at the Great American State Fair. "I am here to entertain and unite people, not divide them," Morvan said. "Let’s celebrate life & music and take a trip down memory lane. I feel honored to be a part of as it will celebrate the 250 Year Anniversary of America with so many other accomplished artists."

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Then there's the group of singers that constitute the "Real Milli Vanilli": twin sisters Jodie and Linda Rocco, Brad Howell, John Davis, and Charles Shaw, all of whom performed the actual vocals on Milli Vanilli's debut album Girl You Know It's True.

In an official statement posted on May 28, Jodie Rocco said that the "original/real vocalists" of the group "will NOT be performing their hits live" at the event. "Others using the name ‘Milli Vanilli’ that appear on the advertisement should be considered a tribute band with no association vocally or musically to our sound or songs," Rocco said, referring to Morvan.

EW has reached out to Morvan for comment.

on Entertainment Weekly

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