Anti-Obama Rant Gets Rapper Lupe Fiasco Pulled Off Stage At Inauguration Concert

**JRT** · 21 Jan 13,, 22:42

Anti-Obama Rant Gets Rapper Lupe Fiasco Pulled Off Stage At Inauguration Concert

By Ria Novosti
January 21, 2013
Albany Tribune News

Rapper Lupe Fiasco was pulled off the stage by security guards during a performance at a pre-inauguration concert here in which he launched an anti-war tirade and sharply criticized President Barack Obama, US media reported Monday.

The episode was captured on video and reported by concertgoers including a number of journalists who were present at the show and tweeted the rapper’s ejection from the stage as it was taking place.

Fiasco, whose birth name according to the conservative Daily Caller website is Wasalu Muhammad Jaco, is a 30-year-old artist from Obama’s hometown of Chicago. He had been billed as the headline act at the StartUp RockOn inauguration concert event on Sunday.

In a statement released Monday as news of the incident spread, the organizers of the event insisted that he was not removed from the stage because of his acerbic attack on Obama but because his performance was judged “bizarrely repetitive” and “jarring.”

It was not the first time the rapper had publicly voiced his strong opposition to Obama. During a media tour last summer ahead of the release of a new album, Fiasco blasted Obama for the use of drone attacks on designated anti-US militants overseas, Complex magazine reported.

“I’m talking about ordering a drone attack,” Fiasco said. “Ordering drone attacks that go and kill mothers, innocent bystanders, children. Militants too, but the collateral damage. You’re responsible for that, too.”

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**dalem** · 21 Jan 13,, 23:13

Racist homophobe.

-dale

**bigross86** · 22 Jan 13,, 00:04

If this guy is on record as being anti-Obama, why the hell would they invite him to be part of the inauguration?

**dave lukins** · 22 Jan 13,, 00:07

Is it usual for boring performers to be dragged off stage by security guards? Was he not vetted for his material prior to being booked for the gig?

**Parihaka** · 22 Jan 13,, 00:31

In a statement released Monday as news of the incident spread, the organizers of the event insisted that he was not removed from the stage because of his acerbic attack on Obama but because his performance was judged “bizarrely repetitive” and “jarring.”

Gosh really? Repetitive and jarring? Rap?

**astralis** · 22 Jan 13,, 00:33

BR,

If this guy is on record as being anti-Obama, why the hell would they invite him to be part of the inauguration?

he wasn't part of the inauguration, he was part of a private show that was celebrating it.

**dalem** · 22 Jan 13,, 01:22

And a racist homophobe.

-dale

**JRT** · 22 Jan 13,, 01:45

Originally Posted by dalem

Racist homophobe.

-dale

Dale,

You are referring to whom exactly?

I am neither, and have made no comments that would imply otherwise.

Since your baseless attack seems directed at me, I take offense at your insulting derogatory comment.

**dalem** · 22 Jan 13,, 02:10

Originally Posted by JRT

Dale,

You are referring to whom exactly?

I am neither, and have made no comments that would imply otherwise.

Since your baseless attack seems directed at me, I take offense at your insulting derogatory comment.

O relax your thong, I'm talking about the guy that said things un-nice about Lord God King Obama. Clearly he is a racist homophobe guilty of thoughtcrine.

-dale

**zraver** · 22 Jan 13,, 02:18

Obvious rightwing sheet wearing wingnut clinging to God and guns....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J03EYhoYUYw

**USSWisconsin** · 22 Jan 13,, 02:58

Thats pathetic, I didn't like his music either - that "stuff" got a booking? But to invite this guy to play at the "StartUp RockOn inauguration concert"

**bonehead** · 22 Jan 13,, 04:22

I don't know why but it makes me sad every time a rapper is in the news and the news was anything other than he was gunned down on the street.

**YellowFever** · 22 Jan 13,, 04:26

The funny thing is this sucker was protesting the only thing I approve of Obama doing in the last 4 years...

**Bigfella** · 22 Jan 13,, 09:18

This is the full text of the official statement. As Astralis said, it was a private organization running the show. Looks like the problem was not so much that the song was 'anti-Obama', but that it went on for close to 40 minutes (just the 1 song) and when asked to move on to a different number he refused.

As a guy with a vast knowledge of music I'd say that you could caount on the fingers of one hand the number of performers in the history of music who could perform a single song for almost 40 minutes without the crowd wanting to lynch him or her (there is a 'Grateful Dead' clause here for artists whose audiences were too stoned to notice). Lupe Fiasco ain't on the short list. The security guys probably did him a favour.

StartUp RockOn is all about startups helping startups. At Sunday night’s Inauguration Celebration at the Hamilton Live, organizers set out to honor innovative visionaries with grants, accolades and a party worthy of the success we achieved at the RNC and DNC this summer.

Lupe Fiasco performed at this private event, and as you may have read, he left the stage earlier than we had planned. But Lupe Fiasco was not “kicked off stage” for an “anti-Obama rant.” We are staunch supporters of free speech, and free political speech. This was not about his opinions. Instead, after a bizarrely repetitive, jarring performance that left the crowd vocally dissatisfied, organizers decided to move on to the next act. Lupe Fiasco repeated the one song for more than 40 minutes.

The party continued as planned, and we celebrated the announcement of CodeNow’s winning the Grant Challenge. CodeNow is a non-profit startup based in Washington DC that teaches “underrepresented high school students basic skills in computer programming.”

StartUp RockOn was founded last year by three startups: HyperVocal, EventFarm and Fighter Interactive.

Read more at Lupe Fiasco: Official Statement From StartUp Rock On Organizers