Two days ago, Tyler, The Creator let fans know that his UK tour dates had been cancelled for reasons beyond his control. Now, we know why: “BASED ON LYRICS FROM 2009 I AM NOT ALLOWED IN THE UK FOR 3-5 YEARS ( although i was there 8 weeks ago) THAT IS WHY THE SHOWS WERE CANCELLED,” the LA-based rapper tweeted yesterday. The UK’s ban follows on from the Australian government’s decision to deny him a visa after a campaign by the feminist group Collective Shout to keep him out because of old lyrics that spoke of rape and violence against women. Tyler’s manager Christian Clancy also said in a statement on Tumblr that the British government also cited lyrical “intolerance of homosexuality” and provocation of “terrorist acts” from albums Bastard and Goblin (written “6-7 years ago”) as reasons for the ban. But Clancy leapt to Tyler’s defense, adding:
“To say that I am confused would be an understatement. Can you imagine being beholden to things you said when you were 18? Tyler has been to the UK over 20x in the last 5 years without incident (shows, in-stores, meet and greets). We rented out a movie theater last month in London for a private showing of Napoleon Dynamite for his fans. Literally last month.”
“More importantly, this is a broader issue of free speech, with new lines being drawn that include reaching back in time without acknowledging growth,” Clancy asserted in the post. “In fact, punishing growth. What I do know is Tyler is part of an argument that is counter to who he has become. How do you punish someone for growing up? Since the letter acknowledged he was writing from an alter ego perspective does this then apply to book writers? The fact that he has evolved into someone who has acknowledged and grown out of that is simply lost in the narrative. Is he not worthy of the pat on the back for becoming aware and making changes? What message does that send? Is race a conscious or subconscious factor at all?”
Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, Chris Brown and Sizzla have all been banned from the UK in the past and singers including Madonna, Beyoncé, Elton John, Miley Cyrus and Lady Gaga have variously faced bans in other countries for reasons ranging from political opinions to sexy dancing. It’s unclear whether Tyler will be challenging the ban.