#FiascoGate: US rapper pulled off stage over inauguration anti-Obama rant

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Published time: January 21, 2013 10:08
Edited time: January 21, 2013 14:30

American rapper Lupe Fiasco was thrown off stage by security guards as he performed a 40-minute anti-Obama song during a pre-inauguration event at a Washington, DC, concert hall Sunday night.

­“Lupe Fiasco just got thrown off stage here at the Hamilton Live after he went on an anti-Obama diatribe mid set,” Josh Rogin, a reporter with Foreign Policy magazine, posted on Twitter.

During the concert, the singer played a lengthy anti-war song and told the audience he didn’t vote for Barack Obama, according to witnesses. When he was told to move on to the next song, he refused, and “a team of security guards came on stage and told him to go.”

So Lupe played one anti-war song for 30 min and said he didn't vote for Obama and eventually was told to move on to the next song.

— Josh Rogin (@joshrogin) января 21, 2013

The incident with Lupe Fiasco, born Wasalu Muhammad Jaco, triggered a storm of comments on Twitter – the hashtag #FiascoGate became popular across the social network.

The Internet community clashed over what happened, with some asking why “it’s okay for Kanye West to diss George Bush, but it’s wrong for Lupe Fiasco to question Obama war policies.”

Hypocrites… RT @dejiariyo: Its okay for Kanye West to diss George Bush but its wrong for Lupe Fiasco to question Obama war policies?

— Sulaimon Balogun (@ladibalo) января 21, 2013

However, others disagreed that the rapper was justified, saying that anyone “defending Lupe's actions tonight is an IDIOT. He was paid 2 entertain a crowd. The crowd wasn't entertained at all.”

Many Twitter users also mocked the fact that the pre-inauguration event's organizers did not research the singer’s past anti-Obama rhetoric before inviting him to perform.

This was not the first time that the US leader has come under fire from the rapper. In 2011, Lupe Fiasco called Obama – and “the United States of America” – “terrorists.”

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Apparently, criticizing Obama for his imperial crimes is worse than his actual imperial crimes. #SURO

— Adam Hudson (@adamhudson5) января 21, 2013

#SURO slammed by @lupefiasco's nonstop, anti-obama rap. Corporate sponsors scurrying.

— Matt Dornic(@mdornic) января 21, 2013

Irony of ironies, the artist they hired w/out bothering to properly check if his music/ideas would fit the theme of their celebration #SURO

— Lindsay Nichole (@Lindsion) января 21, 2013