Hip hop collective Odd Future have been banned from entering New Zealand to perform at the Eminem-headlined Rapture Festival on the basis of being a “threat to society.”
Tyler, The Creator and his OFWGKTA (Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All) associates were to replace Kendrick Lamar on the bill for the Rapture hip hop festival, set to take place at Western Springs in Auckland on Saturday 15th February, after Lamar pulled out of the even due to an “unavoidable scheduling conflict.”
But now Odd Future won’t be performing either, with New Zealand Immigration officials confirming yesterday that it had refused to allow members of the controversial rap group to enter the country, as the New Zealand Herald reports.
Fans were the first to find out however, after ringleader Tyler, The Creator shared the news with his 2 million plus twitter acolytes.
OF IS BANNED FROM NEW ZEALAND, AGAIN. THEY SAID WE WERE ‘TERRORIST THREATS AND BAD FOR THE SOCIETY’ OR WHATEVER. SICK. THEY ARE ANTI GOLF
— Tyler, The Creator (@fucktyler) February 13, 2014
A statement issued by Immigration officials said the group had been refused entry, proclaiming Odd Future had incited violence at previous gigs and were “deemed to be a potential threat to public order and the public interest.”
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“The Immigration Act 2009 provides that entry permission may not be granted where there is reason to believe there is, or is likely to be, a threat or risk to public order or the public interest,” the statement reads. As Auckland Now reports, lobby group Stop Demand had also been pressuring Auckland Council to ban the group from performing their “rape and murder fantasy lyrics” in the country.
Odd Future’s manager, Christian Clancy, also took twitter to slam NZ officials for informing the group just an before their flight and after visas had already been approved and issued to the group.
sorry new zealand apparently this group of kids that have inspired the shit out of me for the last few years are a threat to society.
— 4 Strikes (@christianclancy) February 13, 2014
and thanks for the hour before flight heads up. after approving and issuing visas.
— 4 Strikes (@christianclancy) February 13, 2014
Eminem manager Paul Rosenberg also took to twitter to criticise Immigration’s last-minute cancellation of visas, echoing Clancy’s statements; “Very unfortunate decision by NZ immigration to withdraw Odd Future’s travel visas- while they were on the way to the airport,” he posted.
“We do not support any decisions by government agencies or otherwise that result in the suppression of any form of artistic expression,” Rosenberg tweeted.
In 2012 the group were also dropped from the Auckland Big Day Out after City Council deemed the collective’s lyrics to be misogynistic and homophobic, in a campaign spearheaded by the LGBT community, with Odd Future playing a replacement headline sideshow at the Powerstation venue instead of the festival.
The band have similarly been controversy magnets on previous trips Down Under – including their virgin 2011 trip and tour with the 2012 Big Day Out – which have been fraught with media scrutiny and backlash.
Last year, a standalone co-headline tour from Tyler, The Creator and Earl Sweatshirt last year also drew headlines with politicians calling for the former to be kicked from the country due to his misogynistic lyrics, while a Sydney in-store signing and appearance at a street wear outlet was shut down by Police.
Despite the controversy, Earl Sweatshirt has just completed an Antipodean circuit of Auckland and Australia as part of the Laneway Festival 2013 lineup (including sideshows and a secret Sydney all-star jam) without incident.
Though rumoured for an Australian trip to go with their New Zealand visit, Odd Future will not be appearing at the Australian Rapture Festival, with Kendrick Lamar – named one of the hardest touring acts of 2013 – still set to perform his scheduled dates in Melbourne, Brisbane, and Sydney.
The inaugural Rapture Festival lineup features Lamar, heavy-set mixtape superstar Action Bronson, hip hop major J. Cole, anti-racist/anti-homophobic Aussie MC 360, and topping the bill, the return of Eminem to Australia for the first time in three years.
Rapture Festival 2014 Lineup
Eminem
Kendrick Lamar
J. Cole
Action Bronson
360
Rapture Festival 2014 Dates, Tickets
Wednesday 19th February – Etihad Stadium, Melbourne VIC
Thursday 20th February – Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane QLD
Saturday 22nd February – ANZ Stadium, Sydney NSW
Tickets:
GA Red Zone $155.00
A Reserve $155.00
B Reserve $100.00
GA Lose Yourself Zone $299.00
