New York emcee Talib Kweli has canceled another upcoming show — this time at Oslo's Rockefeller Music Hall — because a venue booked black-metal veterans Taake.
The germ of this controversy stems from an incident 2007 where Hoest, the sole principal member of Taake, painted a swastika on his chest during a performance. In the years since Hoest has consistently regarded that decision as an idiot prank gone horribly wrong — but various Antifa groups have kept the pressure on and have highlighted other incursions in the band's history, like that time when Hoest donned a blatantly anti-Islamic crest at a concert.
Kweli posted the following message on Twitter explaining his decision: "Seems like @rockerfelleroslo values Nazi bands over me so yea it's looking like it's cancelled. What you can do is ask the ppl at Rockerfeller Oslo why they would rather invite Nazis than black artists into their venue. It's a bad look for the city."
Still, Hoest is going on the offensive, and released a statement to Pitchfork outlining his grievances.
"He seriously thinks we're Nazis? I have done nothing but deny this for the past eleven years, but this is what happens when antifa run one of their slanderous campaign—there is always some jerk who takes them seriously. Personally I think it was an appalling thing to do both to his fans, and the venue, with which we have had good relations for the past 15 years."
