Music

People are petitioning to stop Action Bronson's NXNE show

by Richard Howard

While New York rapper Action Bronson’s Ghostface Killa-esque vocal style, deft wordplay and affable personality has gained him a legion of fans, it’s pretty clear that his oft-risque lyrics have earned him a number of detractors as well. Now, citing ‘violent misogyny’ and ‘hate speech,’ a petition has been launched to have Bronson’s headlining June 21 NXNE gig at Yonge & Dundas Square cancelled.

The petition doesn’t only call out NXNE itself but also festival sponsors NOW Magazine and Vans Footwear alongside the City of Toronto, saying that the rapper “glorifies gang-raping women” and that it’s “an insult to the people of Toronto…to be featuring an artist on public property” with such lyrical content. The petition’s creator then goes on to quote from an old-school Action Bronson track the title of which, “Consensual Rape,” certainly won’t help the situation:

“Then dig your shorty out cuz I geeked her up on molly,
Have her eating dick, no need for seasoning,
If seven dudes are in the room then she’s pleasing them,
Like a trooper. Hit her in the pooper. Throw her in the shower,
Then I take her out to Lupa I’m kinky, I’ll hit it even if it’s stinky,
Put em in the shower, make the pussy brand new Ran through,
Give ’em money what I can’t do Stuff her lunchbox & burn her with the candle.”

At the time of this article’s writing, the petition had received 156 signatures. However, with a large number of passionate fans in the Big Smoke, there’ll surely be a huge amount of resistance to any official suggestion of canceling Bronsoliño’s appearance. For his part, Action Bronson has repeatedly denied being misogynistic. In a 2013 interview he stated “[The greatest misconception about me is] possibly that I’m a misogynistic human being in life. Like I hate women or something like that or treat them terribly, which is unheard of. I talk crazy about everything, I [don’t only] talk crazy about women.”