Noname’s SummerStage concert in New York cancelled without explanation
Noname’s concert at New York‘s SummerStage has been cancelled without explanation. It comes only a week after they cancelled Kehlani’s performance for security purposes.
The American rapper from Chicago was due to perform at the event in Central Park on June 19th as part of a Juneteenth celebration. However, tickets for the event are no longer listed on Ticketmaster, and the ticketing website has confirmed that the event has been cancelled.
No information has been provided on the reasons for the cancellation. City Parks Foundation, the organisation that hosts the annual SummerStage concerts, claimed to have had no involvement in the Noname concert and said it is a LiveNation event, according to Pitchfork.
Similarly to Kehlani, Noname has been a longstanding supporter of Palestine. In 2021, she shared on Twitter, according to Insider, “If you don’t understand settler colonialism, annexation and ethnic cleansing, fine. But understand you are helping the U.S. fund it with your taxes. We give billions to Israel so they can continue to murder. and murder. and murder. Celebs pay the most in taxes and the most quiet.”
Kehlani’s pro-Palestine stance was cited as a reason for the cancellation of her concert. The R&B singer was set to perform at Central Park on June 26th as part of the Pride with Kehlani event before an intervention from Mayor Adams’ office.
First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro wrote in a letter to the City Parks Foundation, organisers of SummerStage, on May 5th: “We write to advise you that we have security concerns about this event, given the controversy surrounding Kehlani’s scheduled performance at Cornell University (causing University officials to cancel the appearance), the security precautions needed for an event like this in Central Park, and the security demands throughout the City for other Pride events during this same period of time.”
Heather Lubov, executive director of the City Parks Foundation, wrote to Mastro in response, “The safety and security of our guests and artists is of the utmost importance and in light of these concerns, the concert has been cancelled.”
SummerStage and City Parks Foundation also released a statement, sharing they were “notified by the mayor’s office that they have concerns for security and safety issues regarding the June 26 Kehlani concert, produced and presented by Live Nation.”
Kehlani also had a performance pulled at Cornell University, which SummerStage and City Parks Foundation cited as “concerns” as well as “security demands”.
Noname is yet to respond to the cancellation of her concert in New York.
Never Miss A Beat
The Far Out Music Newsletter
All the latest music news from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.