Mexican band Maná withdraws its collaboration with Nicky Jam, who endorsed Donald Trump: ‘We don’t work with racists’

American politics have started to cause tension among some Latin artists. The Mexican band Maná has decided to withdraw its collaboration with reggaeton artist Nicky Jam, the song De pies a cabeza, from all streaming platforms in response to the Puerto Rican’s public support for former president Donald Trump during his campaign. This action has been widely commented on and is relevant within the context of the growing political polarization in the music industry.

The song De pies a cabeza, released in August 2016, was a notable success and reached the top spot on Billboard’s Latin Airplay chart. However, the relationship between Maná and Nicky Jam has suffered a major blow due to the reggaetonero’s recent political stance. Maná, known for its strong support of Latino rights and opposition to policies they consider detrimental to the community, decided to pull the song after the singer expressed his support for Trump at a recent rally in Las Vegas.

In a statement published on Instagram, the Mexican band clearly expressed its disapproval of Trump’s positions and Nicky Jam’s support for the former president. The message reads: “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 pull its collaboration with Nicky Jam De pies a cabeza from all digital platforms.” The statement also included a banner stating, “We don’t work with racists,” underscoring the band’s position on ideologies they consider discriminatory.

The controversy escalated when Trump, at a campaign event, made a mistake by referring to Nick Rivera Caminero, Nicky Jam’s birth name, as a woman before correcting himself and introducing him at his rally. This incident went viral and generated an embarrassing moment for the singer, who, despite the mistake, continued his support for the former president.

Rivera Caminero, for his part, has been vocal in his endorsement of Trump, mentioning at the rally that it was an honor to meet the former president and asking those in attendance to vote for him. Other Latino artists such as Anuel AA and Justin Quiles have also shown support for Trump, highlighting the divide within the Latino music community over American politics.

Maná, throughout its career, has maintained an active political stance, especially on issues related to Latino rights. The band has openly criticized Trump and supported Democratic candidates who promote immigration reform and inclusive policies. Their support for Joe Biden in the 2020 election and their rejection of Trump’s policies reflect their political stance.

The controversy has also led Rivera Caminero to delete the publication in which he appeared with Trump from his social networks, although it has not been publicly explained whether this action is related to Maná's decision. The removal of the song illustrates the tension between artistic values and political leanings, and shows how music has become a battleground for broader cultural and political debates. For example, several American and foreign artists —such as Jack White, Eddy Grant and Elton John — have opposed the use of their songs by the Trump campaign without permission.