House of Blues Chicago Calls Off Matisyahu Show Due to Security Concerns From Pro Palestine Protest

The Friday night performance at the House of Blues, featuring American Jewish reggae singer and rapper Matisyahu, was called off due to concerns over potential protests.

Just hours before the scheduled event, Live Nation notified ticket holders of the cancellation without providing a specific reason, only mentioning that refunds were being processed.

Matisyahu expressed his disappointment on social media Friday afternoon, stating, "Dear Fans, it deeply saddens me to share this with you. Our sold-out show tonight at the House of Blues Chicago won't be happening due to a threat of protests. The situation remains confusing, with all parties involved blaming each other. However, I assure you, our security team has not reported any threats of violence, and they're always in the know about the situation in every city we visit."

He revealed that despite the event's cancellation, the House of Blues compensated him, and he intends to donate these funds to support the families of hostages held by Hamas, in a gesture made "in honor of International Women's Day" to recognize "the women and girls still held captive by Hamas" and "United Hatzalah of Israel," a volunteer emergency medical service.

Matisyahu emphasized, "This setback won't deter us. The broader implications of yielding to such pressure threaten the very core of artistic freedom, intellectual integrity, and the empathy needed to bridge divides. We remain committed to our performances, opposing hatred, and advocating for peace."

Prior to the cancellation, the U.S. Palestinian Community Network-Chicago and the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression announced their intent to protest Matisyahu's concert, criticizing him as a "racist, Zionist musician" and stating he was unwelcome in Chicago.

In their opposition, they argued, "Hosting a musician who has entertained the Israeli Occupation Forces, supported Israel and the AIPAC lobbying organization, and denied the ongoing genocide is unacceptable."

Once the concert was canceled, the planned protest was also called off, with the USPCN claiming victory on social media, highlighting the power of collective action.

Matisyahu has experienced similar issues recently, with last month's concerts in Santa Fe and Tucson being canceled due to venue staff objections. He addressed these incidents on social media, suggesting the cancellations were either due to anti-Semitism or a misunderstanding of his empathetic stance towards both Israelis and Palestinians.

Despite these challenges, protests have not stopped Matisyahu's performances entirely. A show in Minneapolis went ahead despite protests, demonstrating his determination to continue his music and message. He also performed in Milwaukee and has scheduled appearances in Detroit and Cleveland, standing firm against opposition.

Lil Pump Gets An Ugly A** Tattoo Of Trump’s Mugshot

Lil Pump, the artist behind “Gucci Gang,” is a staunch supporter of the former president, Donald Trump, and his Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement. His loyalty to the one-term Republican leader was recently demonstrated when he tattooed a well-known image of Trump, from his time on The Apprentice, onto his leg. On Tuesday (Jan. 30), the 23-year-old Pump, whose real name is Gazzy Garcia, shared a photo on Instagram of the new tattoo, which is a replica of a widely circulated mugshot of Trump. This mugshot was taken when Trump was arrested and processed in Fulton County, Georgia, in August of the previous year after he turned himself in following his indictment for allegedly trying to overturn the results of the 2022 election in that state. This indictment is one of four, amounting to 91 felony charges, that the current GOP presidential front-runner is facing as he campaigns for the presidency for the third time.

Alongside the image, Pump wrote, “MAGA [two American flag emoji].” The post also included an older photo of a grinning Pump standing next to Trump at a rally. In a November post featuring the same photo of Pump and Trump, the rapper referred to the former real estate tycoon as the “Greatest president of all time.”

Pump has been vocal about his support for Trump for almost four years, starting in October 2020 when he posted a video criticizing President Biden’s proposed tax policy, which aims to make the wealthy pay a larger share of taxes. This was followed by the release of the song “Lil Pimp Big MAGA Steppin.” Trump, in turn, invited Pump, who was wearing a MAGA hat, to join him on stage at a rally in Michigan just before the 2020 election polls opened (though he mistakenly called him “Lil Pimp”). However, as reported by the Smoking Gun, Pump, who was 20 at the time, was not eligible to vote for the first time because he did not register in his home state of Florida in time.

Pump’s tattoo tribute is the latest in a series of hip-hop endorsements for Trump. Chicago rapper Bandman Kevo also tattooed the first-ever presidential booking photo on his leg in August of the previous year. Trump has received endorsements or words of praise from rappers Benny the Butcher, Sexyy Red, Kodak Black, and most notably, Ye, who visited Trump in the White House in November 2002.

Just this week, after years of animosity, Snoop Dogg expressed “nothing but love and respect” for Trump. This change of heart was brought about by one of Trump’s final actions as president: granting clemency to Death Row Records co-founder Michael “Harry-O” Harris in the final moments of his single term in office.

Trump launches a “Holy War” On Taylor Swift

Singer-songwriter Taylor Swift hasn’t even endorsed President Joe Biden for reelection yet. That hasn’t stopped members of Trump Supporters upper crust from plotting to declare — as one source close to Donald Trump calls it — a “holy war” on the pop megastar, especially if she ends up publicly backing the Democrats in the 2024 election. According to three people familiar with the matter, Trump loyalists working on or close to the former president’s campaign, longtime Trump allies in right-wing media, and an array of outside advisers to the ex-president have long taken it as a given that Swift will eventually endorse Biden (as she did in 2020). Indeed, several of these Republicans and conservative media figures have discussed the matter with Trump over the past few months, the sources say. While Swift has not yet issued an endorsement in the 2024 race, The New York Times reported Monday that Swift is a key name on Biden aides’ “wish lists of potential surrogates.” A potential Swift appearance at Super Bowl LVIII alongside her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, has already prompted the MAGA right’s culture-war into a battle about how this NFL season has been rigged to boost Biden. Behind the scenes, Trump has reacted to the possibility of Biden and Swift teaming up against him this year not with alarm, but with an instant projection of ego. In recent weeks, the former president has told people in his orbit that no amount of A-list celebrity endorsements will save Biden. Trump has also privately claimed that he is “more popular” than Swift and that he has more committed fans than she does, a person close to Trump and another source with knowledge of the matter said. Last month, the source close to Trump adds, the ex-president commented to some confidants that it “obviously” made no sense that he was not named Time magazine’s 2023 Person of the Year — an honor that went to none other than Swift in December. in an email, Trump campaign senior adviser Jason Miller shrugged off the prospect of a Swift endorsement for Trump’s rival. “Joe Biden might be counting on Taylor Swift to save him, but voters are looking at these sky-high inflation rates and saying, ‘We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,’” Miller wrote. The former president has already taken public swipes at Swift because of her endorsement of two Tennessee Democrats running during the 2018 midterms. “I like Taylor’s music about 25 percent less now,” Trump said following the pop singer’s statement. Swift also blasted Trump during the 2020 election, accusing him of trying to “blatantly cheat and put millions of Americans’ lives at risk” following the Trump administration’s efforts to hinder mail-in voting amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, as Trump has been having a popularity contest with Swift in his own head, others close to him — including GOP operatives, some of his 2024 staff, and Trump-y media figures — have been brainstorming different ways to go after Swift. Since late last year, these Trump allies have repeatedly discussed how to turn the culture-warrior dial up to 11 if she re-endorses Biden this year, the sources recount. “It would be more fuel thrown onto the culture-war fires,” says an official working on the Trump reelection efforts. “Another left-wing celebrity who is part of the Democrat elite telling you what to think.” Publicly, members of Trump’s inner sanctum and social circle are already signaling Swift’s prominent position atop their enemies list — a situation that has reached fever pitch now that Swift’s boyfriend will once again be playing in the Super Bowl.

Elon Musk Criticizes Green Day for Changing Lyrics to Attack MAGA Agenda

During a televised show on New Year’s Eve, the lead singer of Green Day, Billie Joe Armstrong, altered a line in one of their hit songs “American Idiot” to criticize former president Donald Trump and his followers. He replaced “I’m not a part of a redneck agenda” with "I’m not a part of the MAGA agenda.” This provoked a backlash on social media, where the world’s wealthiest person, Elon Musk, slammed the band for going “from raging against the machine to milquetoastedly raging for it”. Trump’s supporters, who adopted his slogan “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) in his 2016 presidential campaign, were also outraged by the move.

The lyric change happened in Los Angeles and was broadcasted on ABC’s “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve”. It was the latest in a string of anti-Republican protests from the band, who first released “American Idiot” as a commentary on the “confusion” of the world under the George W. Bush administration in 2004. Green Day was a trending topic on X, the former name of Twitter, on Monday morning, where some accused them of “selling out” to “ensure they are DNC compliant” and Citizen Free Press, a conservative news site, called Armstrong “not a punk rocker but just another tired, listless vessel for the corporate political agenda.”

The band has a history of making political statements—Green Day chanted “No Trump! No KKK! No fascist USA!” on stage at an American Music awards show that occurred days after Trump’s 2016 election victory, Armstrong in 2020 accused Trump of “holding half of the country hostage” and in August the band sold limited edition merchandise that featured the former president’s mugshot and called him the “ultimate Nimrod,” a reference to the band’s 1997 “Nimrod” album cover. “I f**king hate Donald Trump so much,” Billie Joe Armstrong said to an audience at a Cannes Lions performance in 2018. “I used to scream ‘I hated George Bush.’ This one is a little different. This one is bad, it’s like acid gone bad.”

Swifties Unite: #SWIFTIESFORPALESTINE Trend Calls for Taylor Swift's Support

The world of Taylor Swift fans, affectionately known as Swifties, is renowned for its unwavering support of their beloved artist. But amidst the excitement surrounding the release of "1989 (Taylor's Version)," a different kind of message is reverberating within this passionate community. The trending hashtag #SWIFTIESFORPALESTINE has illuminated a sobering reality, a plea for Taylor Swift, Taylor Nation, and 13 Management Staff to lend their voices to the plight of the Palestinian people.

It's indeed a challenging time for Swifties. The anticipation of reliving the magic of "1989" is palpable, but an undeniable shadow looms over the celebration. The ongoing suffering of the Palestinian people has prompted a moral dilemma, forcing the Swifties to reevaluate their priorities.

The heart-wrenching situation in Palestine is characterized by ethnic cleansing, unrelenting air-strikes, and an escalating ground invasion, all orchestrated by Israel and supported by Western nations, including the United States and the U.K. The grim statistics tell a harrowing story: as of October 28th, there have been 7,703 Palestinian deaths, with 3,595 of them being children aged 18 or under. These numbers do not even account for those trapped beneath the rubble of destroyed buildings, infrastructure, and communication networks decimated by Israeli forces.

This is not merely a conflict; it is, as many are now calling it, a genocide. It is a call to action, a demand for empathy, and a plea for justice. Swifties are urging their idol and her management team to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people. Their requests are straightforward:

1. Issue a statement in support of the Palestinian people that calls for an immediate ceasefire.

2. Refrain from attending NFL games until the NFL releases a statement advocating for a ceasefire.

3. Withhold the release of the Eras Tour Movie to any company with funding ties to Israel, until such ties are severed.

The Swifties are aware that their call to action may come at the expense of their own excitement, but they are willing to make that sacrifice. For in the face of injustice and suffering, it's now more important than ever to speak out so that the voices of the oppressed do not remain forever silenced.

System Of A Down Drummer John Dolmayan Alienated Friends And Fans With His Opinions

John Dolmayan, the drummer of System Of A Down, has revealed that he has lost friends and “hundreds of thousands of fans” because of his controversial opinions.

Dolmayan became known for his opinions when he openly supported Donald Trump before and during his presidency, which was in sharp contrast to the band’s singer Serj Tankian, who strongly condemned Trump and even demanded his resignation. Dolmayan assured, however, that there was “no danger whatsoever” of him being kicked out of System Of A Down. He also angered many people by saying that Black Lives Matter “never had legitimacy” and was a “propaganda tool” for the Democrat Party, and by arguing that the COVID-19 pandemic “has always been about money”.

Now, Dolmayan has reflected on what his “unwillingness” to accept the “narratives” that those close to him believed in have cost him in a new Instagram post.

“I lost people that I thought were friends over the last few years primarily due to my unwillingness to accept the narratives they are now questioning the validity of,” he wrote. “Not to mention hundreds of thousands of fans who couldn’t handle my opinions here on Instagram. When you endeavor to help those in peril, or guide those that are being duped, sometimes you lose because of it. You do it anyway”. He then added in a caption: “And I’ll do it again.”Dolmayan has previously criticized fans who have disagreed with his political views. “If I simply kept my mouth shut as some of you would prefer there would be one less voice speaking against the willful destruction and hate that is consuming so many people, hate and anger that will only bring a stronger and more violent reaction from opposing ideals. This helps no one,” he said in 2020.

Regarding his and Tankian’s different views, he has claimed that the singer does not represent the whole band on politics. “If you think that Serj is the mouthpiece of the band, which he is as far as vocally but not necessarily for ideology, then you have nowhere to go,” he said.

Tankian, on the other hand, has said that he “respects” Dolmayan but not his political views, even though he defended him for his earlier comments about Trump.

In other System Of A Down news, Tankian recently announced he had written a memoir, Down With The System, which will be released in May 2024.

West’s Attorney Confirms NO 2024 Presidential Run

Kanye West, the renowned rapper, has officially put an end to his presidential ambitions. His personal attorney, Bruce Marks, confirmed to Rolling Stone that West will not be running for the presidency in 2024. This announcement marks the end of West’s active presidential campaign efforts, which were unconventional and aimed to challenge the traditional political landscape.

West had previously expressed his intention to run for president after a failed attempt in 2020. However, it now appears that his political dreams are on hold for this election cycle. A source told Rolling Stone that while nothing is impossible with the unpredictable West, the likelihood of him reversing this decision and reentering the race is extremely low.

West’s 2020 campaign was unique in that he did not run as a Republican or Democrat. Instead, he announced his candidacy under his own Birthday Party. Despite spending a reported $9 million of his own money on his campaign, which lacked many of the typical events and ads associated with a presidential run, he failed to secure even 100,000 votes.

Now, instead of pursuing politics, West is concentrating on reviving his music career. After a series of controversial rants led to him being dropped from brand deals and banned from some social media platforms, West is reportedly close to finishing a new album with Ty Dolla $ign. He has been playing new music for friends and is currently in Italy working on this untitled project.

How British MP Keir Starmer Tried to Prosecute Pete Townshend of The Who Over Child Porn Case

Pete Townshend, the legendary rock star and founder of The Who, faced a legal challenge from the current Labour leader Keir Starmer over his involvement in a child pornography case in 2003. Starmer, who was then a human rights lawyer, represented a group of civil liberties campaigners who wanted Townshend to be prosecuted for accessing a child porn website. Townshend admitted that he had used his credit card to enter the site, but claimed that he was doing research for his autobiography, which dealt with his own childhood abuse. He said that he was trying to expose the evil trade of child exploitation and that he had never downloaded any images. He also said that he had contacted the police and the NSPCC to inform them of his actions.

However, Starmer and his clients argued that Townshend had committed an offence under the Protection of Children Act 1978, which makes it illegal to view or possess indecent images of children. They said that Townshend had no reasonable excuse for accessing the site and that he had contributed to the demand for child porn. They also said that Townshend’s celebrity status should not grant him immunity from the law.

The case was eventually dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service, who said that there was insufficient evidence to prove that Townshend had any criminal intent. Townshend was cleared of the charges, but had to register as a sex offender for five years and pay a £5,000 fine. He also agreed to undergo a police caution and a rehabilitation programme. He later said that he regretted his mistake and that he was deeply sorry for the hurt he had caused.

Townshend, who is now 78 years old, recently released his first solo single in nearly 30 years, called “Can’t Outrun The Truth”. The song was written and produced by his partner Rachel Fuller, who is also a musician and composer. The song is a charity single for the Teenage Cancer Trust, a UK organisation that supports young people with cancer. The song features a sleeve artwork by Damien Hirst, the famous British artist known for his controversial works involving animals and skulls. The song is available on streaming platforms and as a limited edition vinyl.

Townshend is widely regarded as one of the most influential and innovative musicians of all time. He is best known for his work with The Who, one of the most successful and influential rock bands in history. He is also a solo artist, author, composer, and activist. He has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and has received several awards and honours for his contributions to music and society.

Sexxy Red Says She “Loves Trump” And Thinks “We Need Him Back”

In a recent episode of Theo Von’s podcast, rapper Sexxy Red candidly shared her thoughts on former President Donald Trump. The conversation revealed an unexpected perspective from the hip-hop community, which has traditionally been critical of Trump.

Sexxy Red began by acknowledging that Trump’s initial reception in the “hood” was not positive. Many perceived him as racist and against women. However, she noted a shift in perception once Trump started implementing policies that directly benefited the African American community, such as prison reform and economic stimulus checks.

“Once he started getting black people out of jail and giving people that free money, oh baby, we love Trump. We need him back in office,” Sexxy Red stated. She further emphasized the impact of the stimulus checks, saying, “Baby, them checks… oh yes, them stimulus checks. Trump, we miss you.”

Sexxy Red’s own fondness for Trump seems to stem not just from his policies but also his personality. She described him as funny and recalled watching his public appearances with amusement. “He used to be calling people fat… he’s funny. We need people like him,” she said.

Lara Trump Draws Criticism For Tom Petty Cover After Estate Sends Cease And Desist

Lara Trump, the daughter-in-law of former President Donald Trump, has stirred controversy with her country music cover of Tom Petty's "I Won't Back Down". Despite a cease and desist letter sent to Donald Trump during his 2020 re-election campaign by Petty's estate, Lara Trump released her own version of the song. The cover, which was teased on Instagram and released on September 29, has been met with criticism.

Eric Trump, Lara's husband, alleges that Apple is "shadow banning" the song. He claims that despite being 31st on the iTunes charts upon release, the song is unsearchable. This raises questions about the fairness of Apple's practices.

The song was released through Mailman Media’s country music sub-label First Class Records. Pre-sales of the song were available before its release. Despite the backlash, many supporters have rallied behind Lara Trump's musical endeavor.

The Trump family continues to face opposition from Tom Petty’s family. The 2020 letter stated that both the late Tom Petty and his family firmly stand against racism and discrimination of any kind. They added that Tom Petty would never want a song of his used for a campaign of hate.

According to US Copyright rules, Lara Trump is indeed allowed to cover the song, as long as she changes it in some fashion. In this case, she has released it as a “country version”. So, while her decision to cover the song has sparked controversy and criticism, it does not appear to be breaking any laws.