Schoolboy Q and SiR shows at Drake-backed venue in Toronto scrapped by Live Nation without comment
The summer of Kendrick Lamar-Drake continues in Toronto. CBC News (Canadian public broadcaster) is now reporting that Schoolboy Q and SiR both had their shows at Toronto's History venue unexpectedly and inexplicably cancelled merely hours before each was scheduled to take place on July 18 and July 30, respectively.
How are Kendrick Lamar and Drake involved? Both Schoolboy Q and SiR are currently signed to Top Dawg Entertainment (the first label to which Lamar signed and the label that fostered his career). History venue, meanwhile, was "touted as a collaboration between Live Nation and [Drake]" when it opened three years ago and has since become a "premier venue for all musical genres, but particularly rising hip-hop and R&B artists, including acts associated with Drake."
Live Nation, meanwhile, has not responded to questions about why the two shows were cancelled, nor whether fans would receive compensation for costs associated with hotels and/or transportation.
For their part, Schoolboy Q and SiR have both discussed the cancellation on Twitter, with Schoolboy Q (a longtime friend of Lamar) suggesting that the Toronto Police Service didn't want any Lamar-affiliated acts to perform in the city:
THey just cancelled my sHow in TORONTO 😂… CANADIAN POLICE DONT WANT NOBODY FROM TDE PERFORMING..
- ScHoolboy Q (@ScHoolboyQ) July 18, 2024
Stephanie Sayer (a spokesperson for the Toronto Police Service), "dispelled that assumption on Wednesday," stating in an email to CBC that "the decision to cancel these events was made solely by the venue, not the Toronto Police Service. While we collaborate with event organizers to ensure that all necessary security measures are in place, security around these events is managed by the venue."
On July 18th (the date of the Schoolboy Q show and cancellation), a fan on Twitter speculated that SiR's show would also be cancelled. SiR rejected the rumour, only to circle back on July 30th after his own show was cancelled:
This shit didn’t age well at all…. https://t.co/ZrSbFiXNHI
- SiR (@inglewoodSiR) July 30, 2024
He followed up with a confirmation of the cancellation and a response to Schoolboy Q:
So sorry to my Toronto fans. The show has been cancelled. We’re working on rescheduling for a later date.
- SiR (@inglewoodSiR) July 30, 2024
😂 They DON’T like us https://t.co/g70s4NMCkA
- SiR (@inglewoodSiR) July 30, 2024
For those wondering, we sold that show out. It was cancelled by the venue. Not sure why. My apologies again to those that came just to see me.
- SiR (@inglewoodSiR) July 30, 2024
CBC notes that "at least one dig at Drake has snuck through the doors at History," with DJ Scheme (opener for Ski Mask the Slump God's July 29th show, one day before SiR was scheduled to perform) playing Lamar's "Not Like Us" to the delight of the crowd.
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I'm listening to I'm What the Culture Feeling (The full story of Kendrick Vs. Drake), via this ONTD post (thanks beysactingcoach!), and this was the first result when I Googled Drake to check his Wikipedia page.