Lupe Fiasco Reportedly Kicked Off Stage At Private Obama Inauguration Concert
 

Lupe Fiasco was kicked off stage last night at the StartUp RockOn event in Washington, although he was booked as the headliner. Head to the replies to watch the video where he calls out President Obama.

StartUp RockOn is now saying that he left early due to a repetitive and poor performance.

If he got kicked off for voicing his opinion, that's really, really shitty.

If he got kicked off for a poor performance (which wouldn't be too surprising knowing Lupe these days), then that's just a shame.

hmmm people seemed pretty into it

I dont mind when people voice their opinions- except dave mustaine, that aside you are there to support a certain person. Its awkward an rude if you go agains that person.

A bit too coincidental though considering his mic was cut off right after he said those lines.

Who thought he was a good idea for booking in the first place.
Dude is very political, in that not-convenient kind of way.

Ha, oh Dave Mustaine. Yeah, if Lupe doesn't support Obama, I'm not sure why he decided to do the concert, other than to create a bit of controversy. But, I still think he should be allowed to say what he wants on stage, he wasn't defaming or slandering Obama, just stating how he feels. Maybe it was a bit rude, but Obama's drone policy is awful and I think it's good that he said something about that.


Yeah, I thought that as well. I guess until we see the full show, not just a 30 second clip, we can't judge how well he was performing and whether the organiser's statement about his performance has any merit. He did look a bit drugged up in that clip, so who knows.

I dunno, haha. That's the worst excuse I've ever heard from an event sounding like it wants to cover its ass. If anyone believes that, they believe in the Easter Bunny, too.

I'm sure he was performing for awhile, and to say "drugged up" is a pretty strong term, haha.
https://twitter.com/joshrogin/status/293223399755501568

Huffington Post also posted up a list of similar tweets.

Even though I like Obama, I think this wasn't fair to the artist. The guy is stating his opinion, and he should be able to do this wherever he wants to. Isn't The US known for claiming how "free" their people are supposed to be?

Ok, maybe he was in the wrong event to do so, but still...

#teamlupe
down with the system maaaaan

He's criticized Obama in his music, so why the hell would you book him for something like this?

Exactly. He very clearly says that he didn't vote for him the first time and wouldn't the second time. The song was a goddamn single, it sounds like whoever booked this way completely clueless. But they should at least be honest about why they pulled him off stage.

They definitely booked him just to create drama lol

A black man critical of Obama? RACIST!

Oh, Lupe...
At least I can watch the video and know nothing Lupe says in it will be dumber than this.

That's what I was going to say. He calls Obama a terrorist on his fucking album... Do the people booking these shows not do any research?

His criticisms are very valid. Drone strikes are terrible.

Without watching and hearing what he actually said because my work computer won't load videos ever for some reason, I agree with this.

Isn't what's featured in the video (or some variant) part of the original song anyways? Odd to cut that off, if it's based on that.

That being said, from every interview I've watched and read, Lupe Fiasco's political views are about as sophisticated as a 12-year-old's. I'm sill perplexed as to why everyone on my news feed thinks this guy has some sort of "fresh" view rapping about politics.

Yep, the government does "claim" that, but the reality is very, very different.

His problem is he's peaceful and he believes in the people.

Its kinda scary how Obama is so close to being a dictator. You say one thing about him and even though the crowed loves it just because Obama doesn't like it the guy gets his mic cut and kicked off. Doesnt sound like democracy to me.....just sayin'

Yeah I can't watch videos at work either, but I'm assuming it was something along the lines of what he said om the album and in an interview I read.

Agree to an extent but there is a time and place to appropriately voice ones opinion. This was not one of them but as others of stated he probably should not of been on the bill.

It's the Obama inauguration. So I understand them cutting the chord on any highly opinionated Obama bashes, however that has to be one of the worse books by a PR staff.

Holy lol at your line of reasoning. "Obama doesn't like it…" what a conclusion to make when we haven't any idea if he even heard it. People who make these wild assumptions that the entire country moves and shakes at the whim of the President, whomever he may be at the time, are hilarious.

Edit: This quote was meant for the post he was originally quoted by "theonethingihav"

He got taken off stage because he wouldn't do anyhing for 30 minutes

I picture a member of the Secret Service watching on a hidden camera, and all of a sudden shouting "Mr. President! Lupe Fiasco said something mean!" Hahahahaha.

You clever bastard.

Kicked, pushed

Lupe is the man, but yeah bad choice for whoever booked him.

It looks like he was rapping without a microphone.

Government censorship, plain and simple. I understand what was said was beyond rude considering the event he was at, but the worst it does is make Lupe sound ignorant.

I suppose it could be spun that Lupe's words about the president had the potential to incite violence, but I wouldn't buy that, and I certainly don't believe the current excuse for why he was kicked off stage.

yeah seemed a bit of a strange choice no doubt

Isn't this a private event put on by a company? Why are people talking about government censorship? I can't stand Obama, but this has nothing to do with free speech. Anyway, I usually agree with people that criticize Obama about drone strikes and other foreign policy, but Lupe is pretty far from being the libertarian that I am.

Get educated, and learn what a dictator is. Has Rush Limbaugh got his mic cut off by Obama? No? And the shit he says is out of this world mindnumbingly terrible.

Obama had absolutely zero to do with this; it was the promoter's decision to cut him short, stop being ignorant.

He wasn't hired to give a lecture. He was hired to perform music. And from reports of people there, he went way beyond simply expressing his opinion: he ranted for nearly half an hour about 9/11 being an inside job and Republican fascism and not voting for Obama. It was his only song.

good for him honestly! also, did anyone else see Uncle Phil? hahahah

He looked pretty trashed in that video...hope that was the only reason he was removed.

You realize the government had nothing to do with this right?

Is that why the Secret Service escorted him off stage?

That wasn't secret service, moron.

The idiot played the SAME song for 30 MINUTES, refused to play another song, and was kicked off stage. If I was a promoter and the band I booked refused to play anything beyond one song I'd kick them off too, and so would you.

Hes the worst

Sounds like he was playing that one song for 30 mins.
https://twitter.com/joshrogin/status/293223399755501568

Maybe they booked him to show that they were open to criticism but then he kinda took the piss?

It was a private company putting on the show, not a government-sanctioned event, ya dumb dumbs.

Someone will find a way to blame Bush

Politics!

Like I care what Lupe has to say about anything. He hot what he deserved. Who cares.

Few things:

Like others have pointed out, booking Lupe in the first place was a dumb move. Secondly, StartUp RockOn is not affiliated with the U.S. government. The organizers (who are not government employees) may have kicked Lupe out because of his remarks but that does not equate to "government censorship". Obama didn't call them up and say, "Shut him up, quick!" and then drag him to a back alley and kill him (which would actually be closer in line to what a dictator would do).

So, it may be censorship on the part of the organizers yet it's obvious that Lupe agreed to the show to cause a stir. He knew the purpose of the show and his own stance. That aside, calling Obama a dictator shows how ignorant a person some people are. Despite all the faults and questionable policies any of our presidents have had, none of them come close to what an actual dictator is like.