According to consequence.net, artist Travis Scott’s concert at the Pyramids of Giza has been canceled by the Egyptian Musicians Syndicate by citing safety concerns and “peculiar rituals” as the major reasons for ditching the performance.

According to reports from Egypt Today, the Musicians Syndicate oversees issuing licenses for music concerts and  cited “the safety and protection of the audience” in a statement announcing the cancellation.

Also the Syndicate went one step ahead by citing “peculiar rituals performed by the star during his performance, contradicting our authentic societal values and traditions.”

But according to pitchfork.com, it remains unclear if Syndicate has the official authority to cancel Scott’s show. In the following statement a promoter from Live Nation said: “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!”

Recently, the head of the Syndicate, Mostafa Kamel, has laid down new regulations for rap performances since being elected in October of last year.

The regulations include the requirement that rappers must be accompanied by a band of at least six musicians in order to get permits. It does not appear that this rule was a part of the decision to cancel Scott’s concert.

This is not the first time Syndicate has stopped artists  from performing in Egypt because the Los Angeles Times has noted that the musicians’s syndicate banned Mashrou’s Leila from performing in Egypt after a crowd member unveiled a rainbow flag during the band’s performance in Cairo in 2017. The syndicate also temporarily banned a genre of music that has roots in the country’s 2011 revolution.

Scott’s performance is scheduled to take place on July 28 where it serves as the live debut of the rapper’s upcoming album Utopia. In late June, a grand jury declined to indict Scott for the deaths at Astroworld festival.

Photo Credit: Mauricio Alvarado