A campaign to cancel a Travis Scott concert scheduled for this month at the Giza Pyramids has gathered pace with Egyptian social media users.
After an announcement from the US rapper on Monday that he would be launching his long-awaited fourth album Utopia at the ancient site on July 28, critics of so-called Afrocentrism took to social media to call for the show’s cancellation.
The hashtag cancel_travis_show has been trending in Egypt since Scott's announcement.
“The fact that this hashtag is trending sends a clear message. He is not welcome here," one user wrote on Twitter.
Despite the criticism, tickets to the event have sold out.
While Scott has never publicly commented on ancient Egypt, Egyptian culture or its relation to black African heritage, the backlash seems to have stemmed from him being an African American. Many of the comments on social media calling for the cancellation appear to be racist in tone.
Afrocentrism is an approach to studying world history that aims to highlight the role of black Africans in the shaping of humanity’s narrative, which supporters of the movement say has been played down due to racist academic traditions inherited from Europe. But critics say it diminishes the contributions of other cultures.
In June, the Egyptian government revoked excavation licenses from a team of Dutch archaeologists from the Leiden National Museum of Antiquities in the Netherlands.
The museum was banned from digging at the prominent Saqqara necropolis after it hosted an exhibition titled Kemet: Egypt in Hip-Hop, Jazz, Soul & Funk, aiming to highlight the prominence of ancient Egyptian culture and its influence on music genres made famous by artists of African descent.
The museum was informed by the Egyptian government in an email that its licence had been revoked on the grounds that the exhibition was “falsifying ancient Egyptian history."
Scott’s show at the pyramids comes on the heels of the release of a Netflix docudrama about ancient Egyptian queen Cleopatra, which angered many in the Arab world’s most populous nation over her portrayal by a black actress.
A number of lawsuits have been filed against Netflix and the series’ creators for what some Egyptologists deem an inaccurate depiction.
Adele James, the actress who portrays Cleopatra in the series gave critical interviews on the response from Egypt, which accused the show’s creators of “blackwashing”.
“Blackwashing isn’t a thing, is it?” she said. “I find it sad that people are either so self-loathing or so threatened by blackness that they feel the need to do that, to separate Egypt from the rest of the continent.”
Her response was met with outrage from a number of commentators who pointed out that while Egypt might be on the same continent as other African countries, each one has a distinct culture and traditions that make it unique.
In addition, Egyptologist Zahi Hawass, the country's former antiquities minister who was among the film’s harshest critics, responded by producing a documentary of his own for Netflix aimed at telling Egypt’s side of the story.
A show by actor and comedian Kevin Hart was also cancelled in February after a campaign on social media in Egypt circulated past comments of his in which he said ancient Egypt’s kings were black Africans.
The comments in question have not been verified and Hart has not yet publicly commented on the controversy.
Organisers of Hart’s show said it was cancelled due to “logistical issues”. The decision was celebrated on social media in Egypt as a win for the boycott movement.
Scott's event is being organised by Live Nation, which has previously put together shows for the rapper, as well as a May concert in Cairo by '90s boy band Backstreet Boys.
Live Nation’s involvement has also been met with apprehension by some Egyptian media outlets after a 2021 show it organised for Scott in his hometown of Houston, Texas, ended with 10 deaths, 25 people being taken to hospital and more than 300 people being treated for injuries.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
All the Money in the World
Director: Ridley Scott
Starring: Charlie Plummer, Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Williams, Christopher Plummer
Four stars
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
LA LIGA FIXTURES
Thursday (All UAE kick-off times)
Sevilla v Real Betis (midnight)
Friday
Granada v Real Betis (9.30pm)
Valencia v Levante (midnight)
Saturday
Espanyol v Alaves (4pm)
Celta Vigo v Villarreal (7pm)
Leganes v Real Valladolid (9.30pm)
Mallorca v Barcelona (midnight)
Sunday
Atletic Bilbao v Atletico Madrid (4pm)
Real Madrid v Eibar (9.30pm)
Real Sociedad v Osasuna (midnight)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO
Sheffield United 3
Fleck 19, Mousset 52, McBurnie 90
Manchester United 3
Williams 72, Greenwood 77, Rashford 79
Film: In Syria
Dir: Philippe Van Leeuw
Starring: Hiam Abbass, Diamand Bo Abboud, Mohsen Abbas and Juliette Navis
Verdict: Four stars
ITU Abu Dhabi World Triathlon
Hili 2: Unesco World Heritage site
The site is part of the Hili archaeological park in Al Ain. Excavations there have proved the existence of the earliest known agricultural communities in modern-day UAE. Some date to the Bronze Age but Hili 2 is an Iron Age site. The Iron Age witnessed the development of the falaj, a network of channels that funnelled water from natural springs in the area. Wells allowed settlements to be established, but falaj meant they could grow and thrive. Unesco, the UN's cultural body, awarded Al Ain's sites - including Hili 2 - world heritage status in 2011. Now the most recent dig at the site has revealed even more about the skilled people that lived and worked there.
The Pope's itinerary
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
The essentials
What: Emirates Airline Festival of Literature
When: Friday until March 9
Where: All main sessions are held in the InterContinental Dubai Festival City
Price: Sessions range from free entry to Dh125 tickets, with the exception of special events.
Hot Tip: If waiting for your book to be signed looks like it will be timeconsuming, ask the festival’s bookstore if they have pre-signed copies of the book you’re looking for. They should have a bunch from some of the festival’s biggest guest authors.
Information: www.emirateslitfest.com
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Manchester City transfers:
OUTS
Pablo Zabaleta, Bacary Sagna, Gael Clichy, Willy Caballero and Jesus Navas (all released)
INS
Ederson (Benfica) £34.7m, Bernardo Silva (Monaco) £43m
ON THEIR WAY OUT?
Joe Hart, Eliaquim Mangala, Samir Nasri, Wilfried Bony, Fabian Delph, Nolito and Kelechi Iheanacho
ON THEIR WAY IN?
Dani Alves (Juventus), Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal)
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Countdown to Zero exhibition will show how disease can be beaten
Countdown to Zero: Defeating Disease, an international multimedia exhibition created by the American Museum of National History in collaboration with The Carter Center, will open in Abu Dhabi a month before Reaching the Last Mile.
Opening on October 15 and running until November 15, the free exhibition opens at The Galleria mall on Al Maryah Island, and has already been seen at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
The%20specs
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The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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TALE OF THE TAPE
Floyd Mayweather
- Height
- Weight
- Reach
- Record
Conor McGregor
- Height
- Weight
- Reach
- Record
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh122,745
On sale: now
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Read more about the coronavirus
More coverage from the Future Forum
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Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
The%20Specs
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HER%20FIRST%20PALESTINIAN
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Women%E2%80%99s%20Asia%20Cup
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The%20end%20of%20Summer
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Company%C2%A0profile
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TRAINING FOR TOKYO
A typical week's training for Sebastian, who is competing at the ITU Abu Dhabi World Triathlon on March 8-9:
- Four swim sessions (14km)
- Three bike sessions (200km)
- Four run sessions (45km)
- Two strength and conditioning session (two hours)
- One session therapy session at DISC Dubai
- Two-three hours of stretching and self-maintenance of the body
ITU Abu Dhabi World Triathlon
For more information go to www.abudhabi.triathlon.org.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
