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Janet Jackson & 50 Cent To Play Saudi Arabia Show Amid Controversy

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Janet Jackson and 50 Cent have been added to the bill of an upcoming music festival in Saudi Arabia that organizations are urging artists to avoid due to gender inequality in the nation. The Jeddah World Fest invited Nicki Minaj to the event, who pulled out because of the treatment of women, and the festival has added Future to the lineup as well.

Page Six reports:

The website for the event, to take place Thursday at the King Abdullah Sports Stadium, posted photos of Jackson, 50 Cent and Future alongside previously announced performers Liam Payne and Steve Aoki.

The Human Rights Foundation and other organizations have asked artists not to perform in Saudi Arabia, where gender segregation between single men and women is enforced in many restaurants, coffee shops, public schools and universities. Other rules have loosened in the kingdom with women now allowed to drive and attend events at sports stadiums.

Representatives for Jackson, 50 Cent and Future didn’t immediately reply to emails seeking comment.

Thor Halvorssen, president of the Human Rights Foundation, sent out a statement blasting the artists who signed on for the show.

Under the rule of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia has significantly relaxed some of its stricter policies, especially that of loud music playing as several entertainers have performed there.

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Source: HipHopWired.com

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Nicki Minaj Withdraws from Performance at Upcoming Saudi Arabia Festival

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Nicki Minaj was scheduled for a headlining performance at the Jeddah World Fest in Saudi Arabia. She is now canceling her appearance at the festival following the call of human rights organizations who cite the many issues of oppressive nature within the country.

“After careful reflection I have decided to no longer move forward with my scheduled concert at Jeddah World Fest,” Minaj said in a statement. “While I want nothing more than to bring my show to fans in Saudi Arabia, after better educating myself on the issues, I believe it is important for me to make clear my support for the rights of women, the LGBTQ community and freedom of expression.”

The festival was set for the youth of the nation, with admission age beginning at 16. The Hollywood Reporter details women who would attend the show would have to watch the performance from a different area and would have to wear a full abaya.

“Ms. Minaj, as you can see, you are scheduled to perform at a state-sponsored event in one of the most repressive regimes on earth—a country whose leader has also led a relentless campaign to silence women’s rights activists,” HRF CEO Thor Halvorssen wrote to Minaj. “Many of the women who have advocated to lift the driving ban in Saudi Arabia are currently in jail and being subjected to torture that includes electric shocks, flogging, and rape.” The plea went on to explain that the country’s LGBTQ communities have also been victimized by the government.”

Following the statement, Minaj addressed Saudi fans on Twitter:

 

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Nicki Minaj To Perform In Saudi Arabia

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The Metropolitan Museum Of Art's 2019 Costume Institute Benefit "Camp: Notes On Fashion"

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Nicki Minaj is about to break more ground in the name of Hip-Hop. She has been booked for a show at the Islamic holy land.


The New York Post is reporting that the “Pills N Potions” rapper is set to perform in Saudi Arabia as the headlining act for the Jeddah World Fest. As the largest sovereign state in the Middle East, the Kingdom has laws in place forbidding alcohol and drugs. Additionally women are asked to wear abayas; a long black cloak that covers all but the hands and face in public. Naturally this booking came to many as a surprise as her hyper sexualized Rap persona doesn’t align with city’s super conservative policies.

While her fans were excited over the news, female residents raised questions about hypocrisy with flying in Nicki for a performance. “She’s going to go and shake her ass and all her songs are indecent and about sex and shaking ass and then you tell me to wear the abaya. What the hell?” one Saudi woman said.

Raed Abuzinada, Sector Development Chief of the Saudi General Entertainment Authority (GEA), revealed that the festival will also be providing opportunities for local talent. “There is a stereotype of the Kingdom all over the world, and today it is disappearing. In its place is a new picture of the Kingdom, that accepts everyone” he said in a formal statement.

Robert Quirke, President of event organizer Roqu Media International explained that Nicki is the perfect fit for a festival of this magnitude. “She is going to get a lot of attention for Jeddah in the most positive way you can imagine. She’s going to be actively on her social media, she’ll be posting right from the stage in Jeddah and at her hotel in Jeddah. Everyone is going to know that Nicki Minaj has landed in Saudi Arabia”.

Also slotted for a set is DJ Steve Aoki and British artist Liam Payne; additional artists will be announced this week. The Jeddah World Fest will take place on July 18 King Abdullah Sports Stadium. The festival is scheduled to be globally televised by MTV. You can purchase tickets here.

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Source: HipHopWired.com

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Trump Gives A Pass To Saudi Prince; Won’t Punish Him For Journalist’s Murder

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He is at it again. 

When it comes to foreign policy and American ideals, the guy in the White House is playing the cronyism game to the hilt. More gangsta than Death Row could ever be, Donald Trump has just put the world on notice that his administration will not be taking any strong action against Saudia Arabia or their Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, a Washington Post journalist.

On Thursday, Trump said that “our intelligence agencies continue to assess all information, but it could very well be that the Crown Prince had knowledge of this tragic event — maybe he did and maybe he didn’t!”
He continued, “That being said, we may never know all of the facts surrounding the murder of Mr. Jamal Khashoggi. In any case, our relationship is with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. They have been a great ally in our very important fight against Iran.”
While he might not know whether the prince did or not, sources say that the CIA thinks he is responsible for the murder. Not only do they believe he is responsible, they believe with high confidence that the actual murder was “conducted by members of the prince’s inner circle.”
So what actually happened? We know that the journalist was seized at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey on Oct. 2, while he was in a unit that deals with visas and other routine paperwork. He was trying to get paperwork done so he could get married. Little else has been reported… Well, up until now. Some tapes have emerge that might give us a clue (since the president doesn’t seem to have one).
A Turkish newspaper reports, that there is a tape where Khashoggi can be heard screaming. Below the screams, you can hear his attackers calling him a traitor. Khashoggi has been a critic of the Saudi government. The tape also reportedly captures him saying, “Release my arm! What do you think you are doing?”
Then towards the end of the recording you hear a male’s voice say, “It is spooky to wear the clothes of a man whom we killed 20 minutes ago.”
The recordings have been given to intelligence officials in the U.S. and Canada as well as several European nations. Trump said U.S. intelligence officers have listened to them, but he has not.

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