These New York City Lawmakers Want Kehlani and Noname's Shows Uncanceled
After Kehlani and Noname's forthcoming concerts for New York's annual SummerStage series were canceled this month – the first under pressure by Mayor Eric Adams' office – 13 city council members have condemned his office's actions in a letter urging organizers to reinstate the shows and 'recommit to your publicly stated values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and the First Amendment rights to free speech and artistic expression that serve as the bedrock of our democracy.' The letter, shared exclusively with Rolling Stone, is addressed to the executive director and board chair of City Parks Foundation, which hosts SummerStage.
Both Kehlani and Noname have been vocal supporters of Palestinians as Israel's war against Hamas causes mass casualties and starvation. Earlier this month, Kehlani's SummerStage show slated to celebrate Pride on June 26 was cancelled after First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro wrote to City Parks Foundation, 'that we have security concerns about this event, given the controversy surrounding Kehlani's scheduled performance at Cornell University (causing University officials to cancel the appearance).' In canceling that show, Cornell's president accused Kehlani of expressing 'antisemitic and anti-Israel sentiments,' which the artist, who uses she and they pronouns, refuted.
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Mastro's letter to City Parks Foundation cited concerns about additional security logistics and pushed the Foundation to respond within a day, before the Mayor's office decided whether to have the New York City Police Department (NYPD) investigate. If the NYPD found 'serious safety concerns,' Mastro wrote, the office would have to determine the 'status of the Foundation's license.' Subsequently, City Parks canceled the show, writing on Instagram, 'We strongly and emphatically believe in artistic expression of all kinds. However, the safety and security of our guests and artists is of the utmost importance and in light of these concerns, the concert has been cancelled.' The thirteen dissenting city council members call the Adams administration's interference 'a gross abuse of mayoral power and a blatant act of artistic censorship.'
Days after Kehlani's cancellation, Noname's show in honor of Juneteenth was canceled, though both City Parks and the Mayor's office have said they did not make that choice, pointing to concert producer Live Nation and Noname herself. 'A reason for cancellation was not provided to SummerStage,' City Parks Foundation's executive director Heather Lubov said in a statement. Noname's representative did not return Rolling Stone's request for comment at the time.
'It appears that the cancellation of Kehlani and Noname's shows have little to do with 'security concerns' and more to do with the artists' political views against the devastating bombardment and humanitarian crisis in Gaza,' write the councilmembers, lead by Council Members Tiffany Cabán and Nantasha Williams of Queens, New York. 'This moment is about what New York City stands for and whether we will stand in solidarity against the growing tide of authoritarianism and a new era of McCarthyism that threatens the ability of everyone to participate equitably in public discourse.'
The council members' letter notes that SummerStage is partially publicly funded and that its website promises a series that 'celebrates the diversity of our City' and calls the city's parks 'the most fundamentally democratic of public spaces.' The letter follows this with, 'None of these values support the silencing and repression of Black and Brown artists and the cancellations of Pride and Juneteenth celebrations.'
However, the council members promised to support the foundation amid potential backlash should they move to reverse the concert cancellations. 'This letter is a reminder that there are others who will stand with City Parks Foundation on the right side of history should your organization choose to stand in solidarity with everyday New Yorkers who share your vision of thriving parks and thriving communities – as you say, 'for anyone and everyone.''
Chi Ossé, New York City council's youngest member in its history, is one of the signatories, among Council Members Jennifer Gutiérrez, Sandy Nurse, Alexa Avilés, Shahana Hanif, Carmen De La Rosa, Lincoln Restler, Justin Brannan, Rita Joseph, Carlina Rivera and Speaker Diana Ayala.
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