Latest news with #CityPark'sFoundation
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
NYC blasted for tapping anti-Israel performer Kehlani for taxpayer-funded Central Park Pride concert
Jew-bashing performer Kehlani is set to take the stage at a taxpayer-funded Pride event in Central Park this summer — a week after her show at Cornell University was canceled following a massive uproar. The City Park's Foundation — a taxpayer-funded organization — invited the controversial singer to perform at the city's Summer Stage series in June for a benefit concert advertised as 'PRIDE WITH KEHLANI.' The singer notoriously posted a music video last spring that begins with 'Long live the Intifada' — a phrase that is widely criticized as implying violence towards the Jewish community. The announcement prompted Democratic Congressman Ritchie Torres to send a letter to City officials slamming their decision to feature the divisive musician. The letter, addressed to Mayor Eric Adams and head of the City Parks Foundation Heather Lubov, along with Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino, outlined some of Kehlani's particularly hateful remarks. 'Kehlani has a history of hate, marked by rhetoric calling for an 'Intifada Revolution,' the 'dismantling of Israel,' and the 'eradication of Zionism,'' the South Bronx representative wrote. 'America's largest city has no business subsidizing or sanitizing antisemitism at taxpayer expense,' he added on X. 'Stop mainstreaming the extremes and inviting those who invite violence.' Cornell University disinvited Kehlani from performing at their end-of-year concert after an influx of backlash from students. Student group Cornellians for Israel launched a petition and a GoFundMe to boycott the school's 'Slope Day' event if they allowed her to perform. Members of New York's Jewish community have also expressed serious concerns about the city's decision to showcase Kehlani. 'Utilizing city taxpayer money to support hate speech is unacceptable,' said Councilwoman Julie Menin (D-Manhattan), who sits on the Jewish Caucus. 'These concerts should be celebrating inclusiveness and the great diversity of our city, not demonizing any group and calling for its eradication,' she said. Mark Treyger, CEO of Jewish Community Relations Council of New York also expressed his dismay with the city's decision. 'An individual who refers to Jews as the `f–cking scum of the earth' and calls for their annihilation has no business performing in the heart of New York City, which happens to be home to the largest Jewish population outside of Israel. Period,' Treyger said. The city parks department did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A spokesperson for the mayor said, without further explanation, that the parks department doesn't 'select, contract, or pay the artists.' 'City Parks Foundation raises private funds to support its programming and receives City Council discretionary awards,' the spokesperson added. Hizzoner later reitered that in a post on X responding to Torres. 'Congressmember, now you know @NYCParks does not select, contract, or pay the artists, and does not fund the City Parks Foundation at all. It's a private organization and the only taxpayer funds it can receive are City Council discretionary awards, just like you advocated for when you were a councilmember and allocated funding for the City Parks Foundation,' Adams wrote. 'We'll formally respond to the letter you sent us, but your letter should be addressed to Speaker Adams and her councilmembers who have control over their own discretionary funding. 'Our administration will not fund organizations that promote antisemitism or any other form of hate.' But Torres doubled down. 'The City Charter grants the Mayor the authority to impound city funds. You unquestionably have the power to withhold city funding from any organization or event that provides a platform for antisemitism,' he responded on X. 'I find it hard to believe that the most powerful elected official in New York City is powerless to act on a city matter involving city funds.' Benefit concerts, like the Kehlani concert, also fund the festival.
New York Post
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Anti-Israel singer Kehlani's taxpayer-funded Central Park concert canceled after Adams ramps up pressure
The Big Apple has pulled the plug on the planned controversial Central Park concert featuring Jew-bashing performer Kehlani — after pressure from City Hall, The Post has learned. The City Park's Foundation, a taxpayer-funded organization, canceled the Summer Stage benefit concert, which was billed as 'PRIDE WITH KEHLANI,' after intense fallout from the announcement, sources said. The move comes just hours after the Adams administration sent a letter to the foundation, which was obtained by The Post, threatening to pull the licenses for all of the summer series' shows over the concert. 'Long live the Intifada' is widely criticized as implying violence toward the Jewish community. Kehiani/Youtube 'We write to advise you 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), the security precautions needed for an event like this in Central Park, and the security demands throughout the City for other Pride events during this same period of time,' First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro wrote in the May 5 letter. The foundation said in a statement, '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.' Kehlani is known for her controversial music video that begins with 'Long live the Intifada,' which invokes violent acts on the Jewish community. City Councilwoman Julie Menin (D-Manhattan) praised nixing the singer's event, saying, 'Cancelling this concert was 100 percent the correct course of action. The City Park's Foundation — a taxpayer-funded organization — invited Kehlani to perform at the city's Summer Stage series in June for a benefit concert. Central Park 'City parks should celebrate inclusivity and not seek to eradicate or denigrate any community with hate speech,' she said, adding, 'Taxpayer dollars should not be utilized to promote hate speech against any group.' Kehlani had another concert canceled at Cornell University for an end-of-year bash after pushback from the student body. The city and Park's Foundation have both said they played no role in picking the performer. The summer series is funded by public funds, and the foundation is used as a fundraising arm for the city's Parks Department.
New York Post
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
NYC blasted for tapping anti-Israel performer Kehlani for taxpayer-funded Central Park Pride concert
New Yorkers are outraged that Central Park's iconic summer concert series is headlining an anti-Israel singer for a Pride event, just one week after Cornell University snubbed her from their end-of-year show. Singer Kehlani notoriously posted a music video last spring that begins with 'Long live the Intifada' — a phrase that is widely criticized as implying violence towards the jewish community. The City Park's Foundation — a taxpayer-funded organization — invited the controversial singer to perform at the city's Summer Stage series in June for a benefit concert advertised as 'PRIDE WITH KEHLANI.' Advertisement Kehlani's performance at Cornell was canceled after the singer 'Long live the Intifada.' Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP 'America's largest city has no business subsidizing or sanitizing antisemitism at taxpayer expense,' Democratic U.S. Representative Ritchie Torres of the South Bronx posted on X. 'Stop mainstreaming the extremes and inviting those who invite violence.' The announcement also immediately drew backlash from the Jewish community: Advertisement 'An individual who refers to Jews as the `f–king scum of the earth' and calls for their annihilation has no business performing in the heart of New York City, which happens to be home to the largest Jewish population outside of Israel. Period,' said Mark Treyger, CEO of Jewish Community Relations Council of New York. The parks department did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Post.
