Tue 8 Nov 2011 In: New Zealand Daily News View at Wayback View at NDHA
Tyler "The Creator" The frontman of Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All has responded to the group's axing from the Auckland Big Day Out line-up with the statement "New Zealand does not like a Nigga" on Twitter. Tyler The Creator follows the Tweet up with "They won't let a Nigga in the country, that's mean =(" and "I was stoked to head out there." The 20-year-old rapper later says he realises most of his fans will stick with him forever, followed by "Thanks Fags". Odd Future has been pulled from the Big Day Out line-up at Auckland's Mt Smart Stadium because representatives of the stadium's owner Auckland Council agree with complaints about the band's lyrics, including the constant use of the word "faggot", and heavy dose of misogyny, violence and rape in the lyrics. Fans of the band have unleashed their outrage across the internet, with a petition calling for the group to be put back in the line-up and a Facebook page entitled "Fuck Calum Bennachie", which is directed at the most high-profile complainant about the band, Wellington man Calum Bennachie. While the page initially said it was "against the faggot who got Odd future banned," its content has since been toned down. Comments and arguments range from claims the word "faggot" is not offensive as it's apparently commonly used, to claims the band is not to be taken seriously, to passionate calls against censorship and for freedom of speech. A poll on the Stuff website asking "Do you support the decision to ban Odd Future from Big Day Out?" has just over 46 per cent in favour of "No, I don't really like the band but I'm for Freedom of Speech", while 39 per cent support the group being axed for its homophobic and misogynistic lyrics, while 14 percent are against it purely because they love Odd Future. The Big Day Out's promoters are trying to arrange a solo Auckland show for Odd Future.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Tuesday, 8th November 2011 - 1:34pm