What? Odd Future is a threat? According to the Los Angeles Times, the rap gang has been denied a visa for their New Zealand concert, where they were supposed to open for Eminem at the Rapture hip hop concert in Auckland on Saturday. When the government announced it would not approve visas for six members of the group, Border Operations Manager Karen Urwin told reporters: ‘It’s not a decision we take lightly and not one that happens often’… wow they really are a terror!
Tyler the Creator vented on Twitter: ‘OF is banned from New Zealand, again. They said we were ‘terrorist threats and bad for the society’ or whatever. Sick’… ‘I love NZ tho’ and on Tumblr, ‘Odd Future has been deemed to be a potential threat to public order and the public interest for several reasons, including incidents at past performances in which they have incited violence. In one instance, a police officer was hospitalized following a riot incited by Odd Future’….
It happened very suddenly as Paul Rosenberg, the promoter of the Rapture concert, tweeted: ‘Very unfortunate decision by NZ immigration to withdraw Odd Future’s travel visas – while they were on the way to the airport’.
How did this happen exactly? According to TV NZ, it’s all in the lyrics! The Human Rights Commissioner for Women, Dr Jackie Blue, complained in a letter written to Auckland council: ‘The group is well known for their deeply, deeply offensive and sickening lyrics which incite their fans to cross the line to act out sexually explicit and violent actions against women’… Plus, according to the same source, ‘Anti-violence group Stop Demand Foundation had already asked the council to explain why Odd Future had been allowed to play at an all-ages event on council property’… I see, and Eminem’s lyrics aren’t offensive? I don’t understand the logic behind this, but they aren’t banned because of their lyrics, they are banned because of the anarchic riotous nature of their shows! As a matter of fact Urwin said the decision was made because of a 2011 incident in Boston, in which group members allegedly incited fans to attack police officers. She added that banning was a rare thing, and that New Zealand only uses it to stop ‘white supremacist group leaders and high-profile Holocaust deniers’. That’s crazy Tyler and his gang are in such horrific company! But I must admit it, I kind of like the fact these LA kids are scaring new Zealanders!!