TORONTO — Live Nation is staying quiet after two performers associated with Kendrick Lamar say their dates at its Drake-affiliated History venue in Toronto were cancelled at the last minute.
A representative for the global promoter and concert venue owner ignored numerous requests by The Canadian Press to clarify why fans of Schoolboy Q and Sir were left in the lurch only hours before each of their Canadian shows were set to take place on July 18 and 30.
Both artists are signed to Top Dawg Entertainment, the Los Angeles record label that fostered Lamar's career, which has led fans to speculate the yanked shows were collateral damage in the ongoing musical feud between Drake and the "Not Like Us" hitmaker.
Live Nation didn't respond to questions about the reason for the cancellations nor whether fans who were blindsided by the change would be compensated for associated costs for hotels or transportation.
History opened nearly three years ago and was touted as a collaboration between Live Nation and the Canadian rapper on a state-of-the-art facility that could hold more than 2,500 people.
Since then, it's become a premier venue for all musical genres, but particularly rising hip-hop and R&B artists, including acts associated with Drake.
Shortly after his concert was cancelled on Tuesday, R&B singer Sir apologized to his Toronto fans in a social media post. He wrote he was unsure why the venue cancelled the event, adding in another post that he still got paid.
"They DON’T like us," he posted on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter, in reference to Lamar's summer hit that's fuelled the Drake spat.
Suggestions that History might be showing loyalty to its hometown star began percolating after the cancellation of L.A.-based rapper Schoolboy Q's concert in mid-July.
Lamar's longtime friend took to social media at the time to suggest the cancellation was tied to the ongoing rap tensions. He suggested local police didn't want anyone tied to Lamar performing in Toronto.
Stephanie Sayer, a spokesperson for Toronto police, dispelled that assumption on Wednesday saying in an emailed statement 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," she added.
At least one dig at Drake has snuck through the doors at History.
One night before Sir was supposed to perform at the venue, a concert headlined by Florida rapper Ski Mask the Slump God grabbed attention online when his opening performer DJ Scheme spun Lamar's "Not Like Us" as the crowd sang along.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 31, 2024.
David Friend, The Canadian Press
