As previously reported, two of Australia’s biggest urban music festivals are going head-to-head in capital cities around Australia this month, with the embattled Supafest 4, promising a ‘controversy free’ edition this year, going up against Live Nation’s entry into the festival market, the inaugural Movement festival, curated by  hip hop superstar Nas until 2015.

The all-ages Supafest clashes directly with Movement in Sydney on the 26th April after its Anzac day kick-off, before the two roll into Melbourne on April 27th, then again in Brisbane the following day, but for those who backed Movement to be the winner of the two, it may be time to switch horses.

Live Nation have this afternoon issued a statement announcing that a number of their international acts have had to be pulled from the festival, while adding two local acts to compensate, as well sa revealing a change in venue for the Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth legs of Movement.

“Due to a pending court case and Australia and New Zealand Visa eligibility requirements and processing timelines, 2 Chainz will no longer be performing at Movement this April,” reads the press statement.

The ‘pending court case’ is to do with charges laid agains the Grammy-nominated rapped when he was arrested for possession of marijuana by Maryland State Police on Valentine’s Day, as Rolling Stone reports.

2 Chainz, real name Tauheed Epps, was headed to a scheduled performance at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore when he was pulled over for speeding, a car search later and he was busted for carrying an illegal amount of weed. Epps made matters worse when he tweeted a photo of himself with his arresting officers at the police station:

Local officers are investigating the photo as a possibly violation of administration policy, he set to face court charges that – if he’s found guilty could lead to a year’s jail time or a fine of up to $1,000.

American rapper and Azealia Banks provocateur Raykeea Wilson, better known by her stage name Angel Haze, has also “been forced to withdraw from the inaugural Movement,” reads Live Nation’s press release, “due to recording commitments with a certain high profile producer unavailable other than at the time planned to perform in Australia.”

In light of 2 Chainz and Angel Haze’s imminent absence from the lineup, two Australian acts have been added to the Movement Festival bill to compensate; the Australian-born, American-based femcee Iggy Azalea joins the lineup in the country for her first Australian tour since cracking the US with her single ‘Work’.

Melbourne hip-hop duo Diafrix have also been added to the Movement lineup, following their support slot with Macklemore & Ryan Lewis on their recent, sold out Australian tour.

Extra acts have also been announced to round out the bill in each city. Sydney gets DJS Halfway Crooks, Mafia & M-Phazes join in for Melbourne’s leg, Charlie Bucket is added to Perthy, while Gavin Boyd & Butcher head to Brisbane. The final additions to the Movement bill will be the winners of the Triple J Unearthed competition.

Due to the lineup changes and, according to the press release “a worse than anticipated long rang weather forecast, it has been necessary to move the following shows to Indoor Venues. All dates, however remain the same as scheduled.” Meaning that:

Melbourne’s event on Saturday 27th April moves to Festival Hall – all ages – from Myer Music Bowl.
Brisbane’s event on Sunday 28th April moves to Eatons Hill Hotel – all ages – from The Riverstage.
Perth’s event on Tuesday 30th April moves to Metro City from Red Hill Ampitheatre to satisfy requests for a more centrally located venue on a Tuesday night. Unfortunately licensing requires that the event is now – over 18’s only.
Sydney’s event on Friday 26th April remains at The Hordern Pavilion – all ages.

Venue choices would have been limited given that Supafest 4 is occupying many festival-sized spaces in Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne on the same dates at the end of the month, and though Supafest promoters Paperchase Touring and Entertainment have had a shonky track record – still in serious financial strife, with administrators assessing that creditors are owed in excess of $2 million from the company – they no longer look like the smaller drawcard of the two urban music events following Movement’s lineup dropouts and location changes.

Its ironic too given Supafest’s troubles stem from the number of cancellations and no-shows that stirred controversy over its 2012 edition, that it is Live Nation’s Movement that is the one that is being plagued with drama.

Meanwhile, Supafest promoter Dwayne Cross recently voiced his grievances with the way Supafest was perceived in the media, promising that he and organisers had booked a “safe” line-up this year, promising a ‘controversy free’ event come the end of April.

Once again, it appears to be that Australian promoters are cursed when it comes to booking rappers for hip hop tours and festivals, both of which have a patchy history in Australia. Let’s just hope we don’t have another Heatwave on our hands…

Movement Festival 2013 Lineup

NAS / BLISS N ESO / CHIDDY BANG / JOEY BADA$$ / IGGY AZALEA / DIAFRIX / SPIT SYNDICATE* / THUNDAMENTALS^
(* Melb, Bris, Perth) / (^ Sydney Only)

Movement Festival Set Times – Sydney

10.45 – 11.45 – NAS
10.30 – 10.45 – Halfway Crooks
9.45 – 10.30 – BLISS N ESO
9.30 – 9.45 – Halfway Crooks
9.00 – 9.30 – CHIDDY BANG
8.50 – 9.00 – Halfway Crooks
8.20 – 8.50 – JOEY BADA$$
8.10 – 8.20 – Halfway Crooks
7.40 – 8.10 – IGGY AZALEA
7.30 – 7.40 – Halfway Crooks
7.00 – 7.30 – THUNDAMENTALS
6.50 – 7.00 – Halfway Crooks
6.30 – 6.50 – DIAFRIX
6.20 – 6.30 – Halfway Crooks
6.10 – 6.20 – Triple J Unearthed Winner

Movement Festival Set Times – Melbourne

10.45 – 11.45 – NAS
10.30 – 10.45 – M-Phazes
9.45 – 10.30 – BLISS N ESO
9.30 – 9.45 – M-Phazes
9.00 – 9.30 – CHIDDY BANG
8.50 – 9.00 – M-Phazes
8.20 – 8.50 – IGGY AZALEA
8.10 – 8.20 – Mafia
7.40 – 8.10 – JOEY BADA$$
7.30 – 7.40 – Mafia
7.00 – 7.30 – SPIT SYNDICATE
6.50 – 7.00 – Mafia
6.30 – 6.50 – DIAFRIX
6.20 – 6.30 – Mafia
6.10 – 6.20 – Triple J Unearthed Winner

Movement Festival Set Times – Brisbane

9.00 – 10.00 – NAS
8.45 – 9.00 – Butcher
8.00 – 8.45 – BLISS N ESO
7.45 – 8.00 – Butcher
7.15 – 7.45 – CHIDDY BANG
7.00 – 7.15 – Butcher
6.30 – 7.00 – JOEY BADA$$
6.20 – 6.30 – Gavin Boyd
5.50 – 6.20 – IGGY AZALEA
5.40 – 5.50 – Gavin Boyd
5.10 – 5.40 – SPIT SYNDICATE
5.00 – 5.10 – Gavin Boyd
4.40 – 5.00 – DIAFRIX
4.30 – 4.40 – Gavin Boyd
4.15 – 4.30 – Triple J Unearthed Winner

Movement Festival Set Times – Perth

10.45 – 11.45 – NAS
10.30 – 10.45 – Charlie Bucket
9.45 – 10.30 – BLISS N ESO
9.30 – 9.45 – Charlie Bucket
9.00 – 9.30 – CHIDDY BANG
8.50 – 9.00 – Charlie Bucket
8.20 – 8.50 – IGGY AZALEA
8.10 – 8.20 – Charlie Bucket
7.40 – 8.10 – JOEY BADA$$
7.30 – 7.40 – Charlie Bucket
7.10 – 7.30 – SPIT SYNDICATE
7.00 – 7.10 – Charlie Bucket
6.45 – 7.00 – Triple J Unearthed Winner

Movement Festival 2013 Dates & Tickets

Live Nation & Niche Productions present MOVEMENT

SYDNEY – HORDERN PAVILION – FRIDAY 26TH APRIL
www.ticketek.com.au

MELBOURNE – FESTIVAL HALL – SATURDAY 27TH APRIL
www.ticketmaster.com.au

BRISBANE – EATON HILLS HOTEL- SUNDAY 28TH APRIL
www.ticketmaster.com.au

PERTH – METRO CITY – TUESDAY 30TH APRIL
www.oztix.com.au
www.ticketmaster.com.au

TICKETS ON SALE NOW

Supafest 2013 Lineup

50 CENT / T.I / AKON / NE-YO / WAKA FLOCKA FLAME / J COLE / YOUNG JEEZY / MINDLESS BEHAVIOUR / DJ UNK / DJ NINO BROWN / DIZZY DOOLAN PHINESSE / KEVIN MCCALL

Supafest 2013 Dates & Tickets

Members Special Limited Pre-sale Tickets On Sale Monday 11th March Midday – Midnight (12hr Members Access)
General Public Special Limited Pre-sale Tickets On Sale from Tuesday 12th March Midday

Thursday, 25th April – Perth Arena
Tix: http://www.ticketek.com.au and http://www.supafest.com.au
Bling Ring $210 + booking fee + transport
General Reserved Seating $115 + booking fee + transport

Friday, 26th April – Sydney ANZ Stadium
Tix: http://www.ticketek.com.au and http://www.supafest.com.au
Bling Ring $210 + booking fee
General Admission $115 + booking fee

Saturday, 27th April – Melbourne Flemington Racecourse
Tix: http://www.ticketek.com.au and http://www.supafest.com.au
Bling Ring $210 + booking fee
General Admission $115 + booking fee

Sunday, 28th April – Brisbane RNA Showgrounds
Tix: http://www.ticketek.com.au and http://www.supafest.com.au
Bling Ring $210 + booking fee
General Admission $115 + booking fee

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