There’s been another twist in the saga of Travis Scott launching his Utopia album with a show at Egypt’s Pyramids of Giza. After being cancelled just a few days ago, it’s now back on again, according to promoters Live Nation. Well, actually, what they really said was that it was apparently never off. It’s confusing. But good news… for now.
A lot can happen in two weeks in the life of Travis Scott. From the joyful announcement that he would drop Utopia, his fourth studio album, with a jaw-dropping show at the Pyramids of Giza. Hip-hop fans in the Middle East rejoiced, and the gig sold out in about 30 minutes.
Then the bad news. A few short days after his announcement, the Musicians Syndicate of Egypt got involved, appearing to cancel the gig on cultural grounds, saying:
“As the Musicians’ Syndicate is part of the fabric of our beloved country, it works towards its stability and security and rejects any tampering with the societal values, customs, and traditions of Egypt and the Arab world. After examining social media opinions and feedback, as well as the news circulating on search engines and social media platforms, which included authenticated images and information about peculiar rituals performed by the star during his performance, contradicting our authentic societal values and traditions, the Syndicate’s president and board of directors have decided to cancel the license issued for hosting this type of concert, which goes against the cultural identity of the Egyptian people.”
While that appeared to be the end of it, Live Nation—the entertainment group behind the gig—has now said that the show will indeed go on.“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!”
What happens next is anybody’s guess. Watch this space.