Latest news with #MichaelKotlikoff
Arab News
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Kehlani responds to concert cancellation over ‘anti-Israel sentiments'
DUBAI: US singer Kehlani has taken to social media after her appearance at Cornell University's annual campus concert was cancelled due to her pro-Palestine stance. For the latest updates, follow us on Instagram @ Last week, Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff announced he was withdrawing the R&B singer's invitation to perform at the event due to what he called 'antisemitic, anti-Israel sentiments.' A post shared by Kehlani (@kehlani) 'Unfortunately, although it was not the intention, the selection of Kehlani as this year's headliner has injected division and discord into Slope Day,' Kotlikoff wrote last week, referring to the concert. 'For that reason, I am rescinding Kehlani's invitation and expect a new lineup for a great 2025 Slope Day to be announced shortly.' He continued: 'In the days since Kehlani was announced, I have heard grave concerns from our community that many are angry, hurt, and confused that Slope Day would feature a performer who has espoused antisemitic, anti-Israel sentiments in performances, videos, and on social media. While any artist has the right in our country to express hateful views, Slope Day is about uniting our community, not dividing it.' In a new Instagram video responding to the cancellation, Kehlani said: 'I am being asked and called to clarify and make a statement yet again for the millionth time, that I am not antisemitic nor anti-Jew. I am anti-genocide, I am anti the actions of the Israeli government, I am anti an extermination of an entire people, I'm anti the bombing of innocent children, men women… that's what I'm anti.' The 30-year-old, a frequent collaborator with the Jewish Voice for Peace group, added a caption, stating: 'I know you've seen Cornell University cancelled my show, and now there are attempts at other cancellations on top of the cancellations I've already experienced over the past year. If you want to cancel me from opportunity, stand on it being because of your Zionism. don't make it anti-jew. this a played out game. all this because we want people to stop dying. I hope this helps.'
Los Angeles Times
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Kehlani declares ‘I am anti-genocide' after Cornell pulls the plug on campus concert
R&B singer Kehlani remains firm on their views about Israel's war on Gaza after they recently cost them an opportunity to perform at Cornell University. The Grammy nominee, who has been an outspoken supporter for Palestinians, got frank about their stance in an Instagram video responding to Cornell's recent decision to pull the plug on their concert. Kehlani was scheduled to headline the Ivy League school's annual Slope Day celebration on May 7, but university president Michael Kotlikoff announced last week that he rescinded the invitation, citing concerns that the event 'would feature a performer who has espoused antisemitic, anti-Israel sentiments in performances, videos, and on social media.' In a video posted Sunday, the 'After Hours' performer said, 'I'm being asked and called to clarify and make a statement yet again for the millionth time that I am not antisemitic nor anti-Jew.' 'I am anti-genocide, I am anti the actions of the Israeli government,' they declared, adding 'I am anti an extermination of an entire people, I am anti the bombing of innocent children, men, women. That's what I'm anti.' In their video, Kehlani highlighted their previous work with the organization Jewish Voices for Peace and said that they continue to 'learn from and work alongside really impactful Jewish organizers against this genocide' of Palestinians. Kehlani, who has criticized Zionism and whose public support for Palestinians includes singing in front of a Palestinian flag in the music video for 'Next 2 U', is among a handful of entertainers who have faced backlash for their pro-Palestinian stance in recent years. Irish rap trio Kneecap and actors Rachel Zegler and Melissa Barrera have also come under fire. Hamdan Ballal, one of the two Palestinian co-directors of the Oscar-winning documentary 'No Other Land,' was brutally attacked by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank and detained by military and police forces last month, just weeks after the glitz and glamour of the awards show. It's currently unclear who will replace Kehlani as a headliner for Cornell's Slope Day celebration, which is just a little more than a week away. In their video, Kehlani didn't seem to sweat Cornell's decision too much. 'I want to be very clear in stating that I do believe God has plans for me,' they said. 'That's not gonna stop nothing that I have going on, but I'm asked to clarify because this keeps coming up as a means to silence me, as a means to stop things that happen in my career,' Kehlani added. 'As a means to change the course of my life, and I just don't believe that.' In their caption, the 'Gangsta' and 'Nights Like This' artist said they are facing additional attempts at other cancellations. The singer urged critics seeking to cancel performing opportunities to 'stand on it being because of your Zionism' instead of linking support for Palestinians to antisemitism. 'All this because we want people to stop dying,' Kehlani said. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
San Francisco Chronicle
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Oakland singer responds to Ivy League concert cancellation: ‘I am not antisemitic'
Kehlani has responded to Cornell University's decision to cancel her upcoming campus concert due to her stance on the war in Gaza. The Oakland singer's performance at the Ivy League's end-of-school-year Slope Day on May 7 was nixed by the school's president, Michael Kotlikoff, last week due to what he has deemed 'antisemitic, anti-Israel sentiments.' But the 'After Hours' singer contends, 'I am not antisemitic nor am I anti-Jew,' in a video posted to Instagram on Saturday, April 26. She pointed out that she was with her Jewish and Palestinian best friend and Jewish engineer while recording the clip. 'I am anti-genocide, I am anti the actions of the Israeli government, I am anti an extermination of an entire people, I'm anti the bombing of innocent children, men women. That's what I'm anti,' she said. Kehlani noted that she was 'asked and called to clarify' the antisemitism allegations, which largely stemmed from her 2024 music video for the song 'Next 2 U.' The video included the phrase 'long live the intifada,' which translates to 'uprising' or 'resistance' in Arabic but is regarded by some as a call for violence against Jewish people. It also featured Palestinian flags and keffiyehs, a traditional Arabic scarf often associated with Palestinian identity. 'I'm asked to clarify because this keeps coming up as a means to silence me … as a means to change the course of my life, and I just don't believe that,' she explained, emphasizing that she continues to learn from and work with 'really impactful Jewish organizers against this genocide' such as the nonprofit organization Jewish Voice for Peace. 'So here's the clarification … I hope this is everything you needed straight from my mouth.' The singer, who has also used her social media to express explicit outrage against Israel, Zionism and the violence on the Gaza Strip, revealed in the post's caption that she has experienced 'attempts at other cancellations' since Cornell's decision last week. 'If you want to cancel me from opportunity, stand on it being because of your Zionism. Don't make it anti-Jew,' she wrote. Kehlani's scheduled performance at Cornell was controversial from the moment it was announced, particularly sparking outrage among the school's Jewish community. The student group Cornellians for Israel even started a GoFundMe campaign, which raised more than $28,000, to help pay for a replacement performer. Kotlikoff noted that after speaking with students and the Slope Day Programming Board, he decided that selecting Kehlani as a performer 'compromised what is meant to be an inclusive event.' Despite initially telling the student body that it was 'too late' to find a replacement performer, he noted last week that a new lineup will be 'announced shortly.' Kehlani concluded by assuring fans and haters alike that she will continue to perform and make music. 'I want to be very clear in stating that I do believe God has plans for me,' she said. 'Back to my album.'
USA Today
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Kehlani speaks out after Cornell performance canceled over views: 'I am anti-genocide'
Kehlani speaks out after Cornell performance canceled over views: 'I am anti-genocide' Show Caption Hide Caption Kehlani at Grammys, talks about creating 'After Hours' Kehlani talks 'After Hours' ahead of 2025 Grammy nomination. Entertain This Kehlani is speaking out after her performance at Cornell University was canceled over what the school described as "hateful views." The R&B star, 30, in an Instagram video on April 26 said "I am not antisemitic" in response to Cornell scrapping plans for her to headline its "Slope Day" year-end celebration. Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff said he rescinded Kehlani's invitation after hearing "grave concerns" that a performer "who has espoused antisemitic, anti-Israel sentiments in performances, videos, and on social media" would be featured. In Kehlani's video, the "After Hours" singer maintained "for the millionth time" that they are not "anti-Jew" but is instead "anti-genocide" and "anti the actions of the Israeli government." USA TODAY has reached out to Cornell for comment. "I'm asked to clarify because this keeps coming up as a means to silence me, as a means to stop things that happen in my career, as a means to change the course of my life, and I just don't believe that," Kehlani said. Kehlani axed from Cornell performance over 'hateful views,' Gaza comments Kehlani has been a vocal supporter of Palestine amid the Israel-Hamas war. The Grammy nominee appeared before a Palestinian flag in the 2024 video for their song "Next 2 U" and has expressed opposition to Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip and ongoing military campaign there. Kehlani denies allegation she is member of a 'cult' amid custody battle with ex The artist also once described Zionists, a term which can take on different meanings but which many view as supporters of a Jewish state, as "scum." In the caption of the video, Kehlani said that in addition to the Cornell cancellation, "now there are attempts at other cancellations," without providing details. "This is a played out game," the singer wrote. "all this because we want people to stop dying." Kehlani said she was filming the video while working on a new album and while in the presence "of my Jewish and Palestinian best friend and my Jewish engineer," both of whom briefly appeared on camera in the background. But in the caption, she described this "friend flex" as "SATIRE & SARCASmmmmm." Kehlani's video received more than 200,000 likes on Instagram, including from Melissa Barrera, the actress who was fired from "Scream 7" over comments she made in support of Palestine that production company Spyglass alleged constituted "hate speech." Contributing: Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY
USA Today
24-04-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Trump administration, DOE to freeze $1 billion in funding for Cornell University
Trump administration, DOE to freeze $1 billion in funding for Cornell University The Trump administration has frozen over $1 billion in funding for Cornell University amid civil rights investigations of several New York Colleges by the U.S. Department of Education. 'The money was frozen in connection with several ongoing, credible, and concerning Title VI investigations,' members of the administration told Fox News. The decision comes after funding to the tune of $3.3 billion was cut from other Ivy League universities including Harvard, Colombia, Brown, Princeton and the University of Pennsylvania. Cornell officials, however, say they are still waiting on information. University President Michael Kotlikoff, Provost Kativa Bala and Provost for Medical Affairs, Robert Harrington said Cornell has not yet received information to fully confirm the freeze according to an April 8 university statement. "Cornell is aware of media reports suggesting that more than $1 billion in federal grants have been frozen," they said. "While we have not received information that would confirm this figure, earlier today Cornell received more than 75 stop work orders from the Department of Defense related to research that is profoundly significant to American national defense, cybersecurity, and health." The university is seeking information from federal officers to learn more about the basis for the decision, the statement said. "Cornell is a land-grant university that serves New York state and the nation," the statement said. "We are committed to working with our federal partners to continue the contributions made by our scientists and scholars." Affected grants could include research into new materials for jet engines, propulsion systems, large-scale information networks, robotics, superconductors, space and satellite communications and cancer research. Cornell was among 60 colleges to receive a letter from the state education department in March, notifying them of a state investigation. The letter threatened enforcement actions against schools that do not "fulfil their obligations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act to protect Jewish students on campus." Prior investigations Cornell was also investigated for Title IV violations under the Biden administration in November 2023, which first put the university on edge at the chance of losing at least $750,000 in federal funding. The investigation came as Cornell reels from the aftershock of the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, after Gov. Kathy Hochul addressed threats of violence at a Jewish dining hall on campus and the university received national media attention in October 2023 for associate professor Russel J. Rickford's self-proclaimed 'horrible choice of words' at a pro-Palestinian rally in the Ithaca Commons, where he stated he was 'exhilarated' by Hamas's attack on Gaza less than 10 days earlier. More: Cornell student who is suing Trump leaves U.S. following order to surrender to ICE Since then, executive orders signed by Trump forced a Cornell student to leave the country willingly or be deported by federal officials. The latest investigation began in March, two weeks after Cornell University received a notice on Feb 14. that it would potentially lose funding if they did not comply with Title IV regulations within 14 days.
