Kanye West, who has taken a stand against homophobia and the use of the word 'fag' in hip hop, is no longer headlining the Auckland Big Day Out. The announcement comes after last week's revelation Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All will not play at the festival either, due to concerns from Mt Smart Stadium's owner Auckland Council about the nature of the hip hop collective's lyrics. However the removal of West from the line-up is due to the Auckland Big Day Out's promoters deciding to downsize and run just four stages in 2012, because they want to recapture "the magic of early Big Day Out shows". Perth and Adelaide are also cutting the number of stages. Fans who have already bought tickets will be offered a $20 merchandise voucher or can claim a refund of the ticket price. In 2005 West spoke out about formerly being homophobic, saying when he was young he was often referred to as a "mama's boy", explaining, "What happened was, it made me kind of homophobic, cause it's like I would go back and question myself," he said. West said he changed his ways when he learned one of his cousins was gay. "It was kind of like a turning point when I was like, 'Yo, this is my cousin. I love him and I've been discriminating against gays.' "(Hip-hop was always about) speaking your mind and about breaking down barriers, but everyone in hip-hop discriminates against gay people. "Not just hip-hop, but America just discriminates. And I wanna... come on TV and just tell my rappers, just tell my friends, 'Yo, stop it.'" He has also pushed for other rappers to stop using the word 'faggot'. West has also been the subject of jibes and speculation about his own sexuality, particularly from fellow rapper 50 Cent, to which West has responded by saying he is not gay and again criticised homophobia in hip hop. However West earlier this year called Odd Future frontman Tyler The Creator's video Yonkers "the best of 2011". The second announcement for the Auckland Big Day Out: NOEL GALLAGHER’S HIGH FLYING BIRDS, NERO (LIVE), THE VACCINES, BASSNECTAR, CAVALERA CONSPIRACY, REGURGITATOR, KIMBRA, PARKWAY DRIVE, MIDNIGHT YOUTH, DAS RACIST, SIX60, MT EDEN, THE ADULTS, I AM GIANT, CAIRO KNIFE FIGHT, JAKOB, BULLETPROOF, JUNICA, @PEACE, DJ SIR-VERE and NICK D Who will now be joining: SOUNDGARDEN, KASABIAN, MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE, THE LIVING END, BATTLES, GIRL TALK, ROYKSOPP, FOSTER THE PEOPLE, GIN WIGMORE, MARIACHI EL BRONX, CAGE THE ELEPHANT, BEST COAST, BEASTWARS, GHOSTWAVE, CUT OFF YOUR HANDS, DAVID DALLAS, UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Wednesday, 9th November 2011 - 5:04pm