Lupe Fiasco thrown out of inaugural celebration for criticizing Obama…So why did they invite him?

UPDATE: Now This News has posted video footage of the moment Lupe Fiasco was removed from the stage, which you can watch here. He is performing his song “Words I Never Said” which includes the lyrics “Gaza strip was getting bombed, Obama didn’t’ say shit. That’s why I ain’t vote for him, next one either.”

It appears as though they initially tried to stop his performance by cutting his mic, but Lupe kept on rapping, so they shut off the stage lighting. Still, he didn’t stop. At this point he’s approached by three or four big men dressed like bouncers and a man holding a camera. One of the bouncers grabs the cameraman’s arm and another looks like he might be pushing the camera away, but it’s unclear what’s actually happening because their backs are turned and we can’t hear what they’re saying. Eventually, Lupe exits the stage smiling and waving and that’s the end of it.

For their part, Start UP Rock On, who hosted the event, released an official statement, insisting that “Lupe Fiasco was not ‘kicked off stage’ for an ‘anti-Obama rant.’ We are staunch supporters of free speech, and free political speech. This was not about his opinions. Instead, after a bizarrely repetitive, jarring performance that left the crowd vocally dissatisfied, organizers decided to move on to the next act.”

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Rapper Lupe Fiasco was kicked off stage at an inaugural celebration Sunday night for criticizing President Obama. The story unfolded on twitter as Foreign Policy reporter Josh Rogin tweeted the following:

Lupe Fiasco just got thrown off stage here at the Hamilton Live after he went on an anti-Obama diatribe mid set.—
Josh Rogin (@joshrogin) January 21, 2013

So Lupe played one anti-war song for 30 min and said he didn't vote for Obama and eventually was told to move on to the next song.—
Josh Rogin (@joshrogin) January 21, 2013

Lupe refused to move to the next song so a team of security guards came on stage and told him to go.—
Josh Rogin (@joshrogin) January 21, 2013

The concert was hosted by Start Up Rock On, which promoted the event with Lupe Fiasco as its headliner. This makes me wonder whether the organization was even familiar with Lupe’s music. His views on Obama and the U.S. war machine are no secret. In fact, his anti-establishment rhetoric is part of his brand. (Full disclosure: I’m a total Lupe Fiasco fan)

Since video footage of the incident has yet to surface, we’re left to rely on tweets from people who were there, like Margarita Noriega:

Lupe Fiasco criticizing Obama for not addressing racism instagr.am/p/Uu3d-JjUp4/—
Margarita Noriega (@margafret) January 21, 2013

Man, I can't believe Lupe was kicked off stage for criticizing Obama.—
Margarita Noriega (@margafret) January 21, 2013

I tried to find out who the four bouncers were who kicked Lupe Fiasco offstage. I was told "Margarita, this doesn't concern you" LOL—
Margarita Noriega (@margafret) January 21, 2013

I said to the people kicking Lupe off stage, "this is a first amendment issue" and I was told it wasn't my place to comment.—
Margarita Noriega (@margafret) January 21, 2013

Here is CNN’s Matt Dornic:

Things going terribly wrong at @lupefiasco performance during #SURO. Kicked off stage, bashing obama.—
Matt Dornic (@mdornic) January 21, 2013

#SURO slammed by @lupefiasco's nonstop, anti-obama rap. Corporate sponsors scurrying.—
Matt Dornic (@mdornic) January 21, 2013

Wow. this room is #dumb following the ant-obama tirade of @lupefiasco, they jammed out to the beats of "formerly" anti-usa @psy_oppa—
Matt Dornic (@mdornic) January 21, 2013

Now This News posted a short clip of Lupe’s performance with the caption, “Apparently, #LupeFiasco is 20 min into an anti-Obama jam at an #Inauguration2013 party right now. Here’s a snippet”. This clip quickly made it to Youtube:

And this from @EventStir:

We were there front and center at #suro when he was taken off of stage. 40 minutes, repeating one line. Mitch McConnell would be jealous…—
  (@EventStir) January 21, 2013

So there you have it. Protesting the President’s lethal actions is more offensive than the President’s lethal actions, which happen to regularly kill civilians in far away places. But shhhhhh, keep it to yourself.