Rap group Odd Future have been turned back from New Zealand and labelled by authorities as a “threat to society”.
Tyler, The Creator and the boys from Odd Future will not be allowed to enter NZ to perform at this weekend’s Rapture hip hop festival headlined by Eminem, according to the country’s immigration authorities.
Named as the replacement act for Kendrick Lamar, who pulled out due to an “unavoidable scheduling conflict”, Immigration cited instances of violence at previous gigs, deeming the collective to be a “potential threat to public order and the public interest.”
The managers of both Odd Future and Eminem were obviously none too happy about the decision.
“Very unfortunate decision by NZ immigration to withdraw Odd Future’s travel visas- while they were on the way to the airport,” Em’s manager Paul Rosenberg tweeted.
We do not support any decisions by government agencies or otherwise that result in the suppression of any form of artistic expression,” he added.
It’s not the first time Odd Future have run into trouble with authorities in Australia and New Zealand; the group were banned from performing in the Auckland leg of the 2012 Big Day Out and ran into a ton of backlash in Australia in both 2011 and 2012, mostly recently for Tyler’s highly controversial lyrics.
It appears as if Kanye West is soon to be announced as part of a five-act Australian “mega” tour.
Ticketek launched a teaser of what the company describes as “5 mega announcements in 30 days” on a poster featuring five silhouetted artists, the first of which appears quite like Mr West.
Last in Australia for the 2012 BDO, Kanye appears to be one of the five acts set for a stadium tour.
The other artists rumoured to be launching massive Australian tours include Lady Gaga, Robbie Williams, Katy Perry and Justin Timberlake.
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