Reports that Egypt has banned American rapper Travis Scott from performing at the world-famous Pyramid of Giza in Cairo have been debunked by promoter Live Nation.
On Tuesday, several reports claimed that the African country banned the concert. According to the Al Jazeerah news, the government of Egypt says that the rapper artist, who is well known for his large mosh-pit type concerts, not only goes against the country’s Muslim tradition but that the rapper was also involved in Satanic rituals.
The reports of a ban come amid widespread disagreement by conservative Egyptians who launched social media campaigns that they claim are seeking to protect the authenticity of Egyptian history and culture from being hijacked and rewritten.
The local organization, The Egyptian Musicians Syndicate, is against the black rapper performing in Cairo due to statements he previously made, even hinting that it was concerned about Scott’s performance given the Astroworld event, which left 10 people dead in 2021.
The group claimed that it was not generally opposed to artists performing in the country except where they seek to “undermine the ancestral customs and traditions of the Egyptian people.”
“The artist’s positions, the syndicate found images and documented information on the strange rituals he practices, which go against our traditions,” the statement said, not going further into what those practices are.
Several media houses reported that as a result of the pushback, the rapper’s event was canceled. However, organizer Live Nation says the show is still on as planned for July 28.
“There have been no changes to Travis Scott’s show in Egypt; any reports to the contrary are false. We can’t wait to celebrate Utopia with you in Egypt!” Billboard quoted the organization.
In the meantime, the Musicians Syndicate has not responded to Live Nation’s claim.
The organization said it is responsible for issuing licenses for performances in Egypt and works along with the Egyptian Ministry of Culture and the Censorship Authority for Artistic Works, and the Ministry of Labor.
