Talib Kweli and Brazilian rapper NIKO IS have canceled a concert tonight (November 19) at Oslo, Norway’s Rockefeller Music Hall as a result of the venue is internet hosting a efficiency from Norwegian black steel band Taake subsequent 12 months. Kweli tweeted at this time, “Seems like [Rockefeller] values Nazi bands over me so yea it’s looking like it’s cancelled. What you can do is ask the ppl at Rockerfeller Oslo why they would rather invite Nazis than black artists into their venue. It’s a bad look for the city.” He added in a subsequent tweet, “Rockerfeller is inviting Nazis in their home. If you invite Nazis in your home you support Nazis. I don’t go to places that support Nazis and fuck you for demanding I do.” He additionally accused the venue of refusing to speak with him.
Taake’s look, scheduled for April 19, 2019, is a part of Inferno Metal Festival Norway—a four-day occasion that features exhibits at Rockefeller. Pitchfork has contacted representatives for Taake, Rockefeller Music Hall, and Inferno Metal Festival Norway. In a press release to Pitchfork, Taake frontman Hoest responded to Talib Kweli:
He significantly thinks we’re Nazis? I’ve completed nothing however deny this for the previous eleven years, however that is what occurs when Antifa run one among their slanderous marketing campaign—there may be all the time some jerk who takes them significantly. Personally I believe it was an appalling factor to do each to his followers, and the venue, with which we now have had good relations for the previous 15 years.
I used to be a bit shocked to seek out he had booked this specific European present. I did not need to sink to his degree by making anybody conscious of it and spoiling it for him and his followers, despite the fact that that’s one thing he himself appears to take nice delight and pleasure in doing to different bands. Not positive if he’s taking part in in another venues in Europe the place Taake additionally performs usually. At the top of the day I think about this may now give venues world-wide pause for thought earlier than truly reserving and selling him in case he’s prone to conform to do a present after which pull out on the final minute due to different bands who’ve performed there up to now, or who’re booked to play sooner or later.
Earlier this 12 months, Talib Kweli canceled a show at Kansas City, Missouri’s Riot Room as a result of the venue had booked Taake to carry out. The Riot Room canceled Taake’s show, and Taake in the end canceled their U.S. tour, releasing a press release wherein they wrote that they’re “not now, [have] never been, and never will be a Nazi band.”
In 2007, Hoest performed with a swastika drawn on his chest. The band additionally has lyrics that have been seen as anti-Muslim. In 2013, Hoest performed while wearing a shirt with an anti-Islamic symbol, plus an iron cross necklace.
Hoest has repeatedly denied claims of his band’s ties to white nationalism. In a February 2018 interview with Metal Insider, he stated, “Presenting us as ‘Neo Nazi,’ ‘openly racist,’ ‘wearing swastikas’ (in plural, like it’s a habit of mine), etc. are just plain lies. And ‘islamophobic?’ A phobia is an irrational mental illness. So quite the contrary, religion is an irrational mental illness.”
This article was initially printed on November 19 at 2:01 p.m. Eastern. It was final up to date at 5:15 p.m. Eastern.
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