Kanye West headlines LA festival amid antisemitic lyric backlash

• Published date: 13 March 2024
• Author: JERUSALEM POST STAFF
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

Rolling Loud's decision to feature West at its Los Angeles event has become a lightning rod for criticism, with many questioning the implications of giving such a prominent platform to an artist with a history of inflammatory and divisive comments

The festival's site said, 'Rolling Loud is the only festival in the world where you can see 100+ Hip-Hop acts across three days on three stages. '

The Los Angeles Times reported that for some fans, including West in the festival lineup is a bridge too far. A long-time West fan, R.C. Hogue expressed his conflicted feelings, noting the difficulty separating the artist's music from his recent behavior. "Time heals a lot of wounds, but with Kanye, it's a little too soon to start listening to him again," Hogue remarked to the Times, pointing to what he said was an apparent lack of remorse.

This provocative booking decision has not only disillusioned fans but also raised alarms within the local Jewish community and among experts on hate speech and mental health. The festival's choice to embrace West, despite his recent outbursts of antisemitism and erratic behavior, sends a concerning message about the limits of cancel culture and the potential normalization of hate speech within the mainstream music industry.

Decision draws criticism, but is likely to sell tickets

Dave Brooks, Billboard's senior director of live music and touring, shared his initial shock at West's headliner status, citing to The Los Angeles Times the inherent risks to the festival's brand and reputation. Yet, Brooks acknowledged that following several incident-free listening...