Kanye West’s Tampa Concert Facing Cancellation Threats By Florida Senator

BY Aron A.
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February 20, 2011; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Kanye West performs during the half time show at the 2011 NBA All Star game at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro via USA TODAY NETWORK
Senator Rick Scott doesn't think Ye should be welcomed in Florida.

Cancel culture exists across the spectrum–don’t let them fool you into thinking it isn’t a bipartisan tactic to silence people. Kanye West has been in the crosshairs of cancel culture from both the left and the right in his career, and that hasn’t changed with any apology or attempt at accountability. 

The rapper has been trying to regain his footing in an attempt to tour again. He’s faced pushback in Europe and in the U.S. According to WFLA, Senator Rick Scott has pushed for the Raymond James Stadium operators in Tampa to cancel the show. This is largely due to Ye’s praise of Nazis and Hitler.

“West’s remarks are vile and a slap in the face to our state’s Jewish community,” Scott wrote. “It is troubling that a stadium supported by taxpayer dollars would openly subsidize an event led by an artist known for pushing this dangerous, hateful rhetoric, especially with Florida having one of the largest Jewish populations in our country.”

Ye’s performance in Tampa this month will mark his first time performing in the city since 2016. Although Scott feels as though Ye doesn’t have a place to perform in Florida, the people living in that state probably don’t feel the same way. The demand for his June 26 show was so high that another date was added on June 29.

Rick Scott Wants To Ban Kanye

Ahead of sending this message to the Raymond James Stadium, Scott made his issues with Ye clear on X. “Kanye West’s repeated antisemitic remarks are vile and unacceptable,” he wrote. “Antisemitism is plaguing this country, and he has been a big part of the problem for years. He doesn’t deserve a stage to spread his hate anywhere, especially Florida.”

It seems unlikely that Ye’s upcoming show will get cancelled, especially since efforts elsewhere in the world have failed. Sound off with your thoughts in the comments. 

About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.

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