Banned rapper will headline festival
Arapper banned from performing in New Zealand twice is set to make his long-awaited return to New Zealand.
Tyler, the Creator, whose given name is Tyler Gregory Okonma, will headline New Zealand’s biggest music festival, Bay Dreams, across two dates in January.
The confirmation comes five years after Okonma was banned from performing here with the Californian rap collective Odd Future.
The American rapper, a Grammy-nominated artist who released his latest solo album Igor in May to critical acclaim, is the biggest name on a stacked bill that also includes fiery pop star Halsey, American rapper Yelawolf, British singer Ella Mai and grime artist Skepta.
But all eyes will be on Okonma after Odd Future was prevented from performing at the Auckland leg of the Big Day Out in 2012 over allegations of homophobia in the group’s lyrics, and again at Eminem’s Rapture stadium show in 2014.
To date, the only show the 28-year-old has ever played in New Zealand was with Odd Future at the Powerstation in 2012, a
Big Day Out sideshow. Promoters have assured Stuff that Okonma’s visa has been approved and he will be allowed into the country.
At the time of his last New Zealand ban in 2014, Immigration NZ said Odd Future’s visas were declined because ‘‘there is, or is likely to be, a threat or risk to public order or the public interest’’.
It cited ‘‘incidents at past performances in which they have incited violence’’ and claimed ‘‘a police officer was hospitalised following a riot incited by Odd Future’’, apparently referencing an autograph-signing event in Boston in 2011 in which a police officer was hospitalised.
Okonma found out about his ban just an hour before his flight to New Zealand was due to depart and was so incensed he tweeted from the airport, saying: ‘‘They said we were terrorist threats and bad for society.’’
His manager Christian Clancy also spoke out at the time, saying: ‘‘Sorry New Zealand, apparently this group of kids that have inspired the s... out of me for the last few years are a threat to society.’’
Okonma later wrote a song about the incident called Smuckers. It featured Kanye West and Lil Wayne and the lyrics included: ‘‘I got banned from New Zealand / Whitey called me demon / And a terrorist / God dammit I couldn’t believe it.’’
Bay Dreams co-promoter Mitch Lowe said Okonma’s music and attitude has changed
over the past six years – and he no longer deserved to be banned.
‘‘Seven years is a long time to try and make [things] right. He’s changed so much as a person in the last six years, since the last festival incident,’’ Lowe said.
‘‘From this point on, he’s going to play the show, he’s going to smash it, and the guy’s back in the green, he’s good to tour the world.’’
Co-promoter Pato Alvarez said a recent lifting of Okonma’s
‘‘You can’t charge this guy for who he was five years ago. The vibe for him is different now.’’
Pato Alvarez,
Bay Dreams co-promoter
ban in the UK helped with their negotiations. ‘‘He was young, he’s changed. The music he is releasing now is totally different to the music he was releasing six or seven years ago,’’ he said.
‘‘You can’t charge this guy for who he was five years ago. The vibe for him is different now. He wants to come, he’s doing everything he can to come.’’
Lowe said his setlist was unlikely to include any of the music that contributed to his ban. ‘‘My assumption is it’s going to be the music from the last six years. There’s no way he’s not going to do the stuff that represents him now. He’ll play some classics, but not the stuff that caused the dramas.’’
Okonma is the latest major star to headline next year’s Bay Dreams, following in the footsteps of last year’s biggest artist, Cardi B. ‘‘To get someone like Tyler, it’s the wow factor, and we’re the ones to make it happen,’’ said Lowe.
Bay Dreams is New Zealand’s largest music festival. More than 55,000 people are expected to attend events at Bay Park Arena in Mt Maunganui on January 2 and Trafalgar Park in Nelson on January 4.
Other acts on the bill include Ocean Alley, Netsky, Gunna, Sub Focus, Winston Surfshirt, Sons of Zion, State of Mind, and Mitch James.
For the full lineup, dates and tickets, visit baydreams.co.nz