A concert by American rapper, Travis Scott, at the Giza pyramids, has been banned by the Egyptian Musicians Syndicate after an online campaign against the hip-hop heavyweight.
International music stars often perform at the base of Egypt’s famous pyramids near the capital, Cairo, and the powerful musicians union rarely opposes such events.
However, in recent years, it has spearheaded a fight against musical genres deemed improper in Egypt with rap being a frequent target.
The musicians syndicate, which oversees all matters relating to live or recorded music in the Arab world’s most populous nation, said in a statement on Tuesday, 18th July, 2023, that Scott’s concert would ‘go against our traditions’.
The union said it does not intervene in any musical performances so long as they do not undermine the ancestral customs and traditions of the Egyptian people.
After examining social media content and Scott’s position, the syndicate found images and documented information on the strange rituals he practices, which go against their traditions, as specified in the statement.
Meanwhile, some social media users had initially launched a campaign to cancel Scott’s concert, citing the American rapper’s Afrocentrism, which highlights the role of Black Africans in shaping humanity.
In February 2023, Egypt also cancelled a performance by American comedian, Kevin Hart, after a social media campaign circulated some of his past comments. Critics accused him of distorting history, and robbing Arabs of their claim to the country’s ancient past as they accused him of saying the ancient kings of Egypt were Black.
Although, the comments were not verified, and Hart did not comment on the controversy.
