Earlier this month, rumors began to circulate that Travis Scott was planning a party and performance at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt to celebrate the upcoming release of his long-awaited Utopia album. Then finally, on July 9, he confirmed this, launching tickets for the “Utopia party” taking place on July 28 in Cairo, which also could be the day he puts the LP out on digital streaming platforms.
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However, today (July 18), Esquire Middle East reported that “Travis Scott at The Pyramids,” which sold out in under an hour was canceled. Citing concerns about safety and the upholding of Egypt’s cultural and societal values, the country’s Musicians’ Syndicate decided to revoke the license Scott received to host the show.
“While the Musicians’ Syndicate has welcomed various art forms and concerts in recent months, it has set conditions and regulations to safeguard the customs and traditions inherited by the Egyptian people,” the Musicians’ Syndicate’s official spokesman Dr. Mohamed Abdullah said in a statement obtained by Esquire. “As the Musicians’ Syndicate is part of the fabric of our beloved country, it works towards its stability and security and rejects any tampering with the societal values, customs, and traditions of Egypt and the Arab world. After examining social media opinions and feedback, as well as the news circulating on search engines and social media platforms, which included authenticated images and information about peculiar rituals performed by the star during his performance, contradicting our authentic societal values and traditions, the Syndicate’s president and board of directors have decided to cancel the license issued for hosting this type of concert, which goes against the cultural identity of the Egyptian people.”
Just after this news circulated, though, many members of Scott’s team refuted this report. Along with the rapper’s manager David Stromberg telling a fan page that the report was fake, Live Nation, who is helping organize the event at the Pyramids, told Rolling Stone that the show will continue as planned.
“There have been no changes to Travis Scott’s show in Egypt; any reports to the contrary are false,” Live Nation said. “We can’t wait to celebrate Utopia with you in Egypt!”
Nearly two years ago, Live Nation was also responsible for organizing Scott’s Astroworld Festival, which ended in catastrophe and saw 10 attendees die due to crowd surges. Days before “Travis Scott at The Pyramids” was announced, though, Scott was able to duck all possible criminal charges for the mishap.
Although he has not yet revealed the official release date for Utopia, his first solo album since 2018, fans believe it could arrive either this Friday (July 21), or next Friday, the same day as his headline-inspiring event in Egypt.
Photo by: Christopher Polk/NBC
