US hip hop star to perform at men-only concert in Saudi Arabia
Despite the over whelming positive response of inviting international artists to sing in the kingdom, some women in the country are not happy due to the men-only concert. Photo: Getty Images
(Web Desk) – US hip hop star Nelly and Algerian singer Cheb Khaled are set to perform at a men-only concert in Jeddah on December 14.
Despite the over whelming positive response of inviting international artists to sing in the kingdom, some women in the country are not happy for not being allowed at the men-only concert.
According to BBC, women took on social media to express their anger and to ask the reason of why women were excluded from the concert organised by Saudi Arabia’s private TV channel MBC Action which is supported by Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority.
#Nelly_ChebKhaled_in_KSA#MBCAction#Roznamah_sa pic.twitter.com/m3tsAAbp9A
— MBC Action (@mbcaction) November 17, 2017
On Instagram a disappointed post by @kidshop_ksa wrote : "Why is it male only?"
Some women were disappointed over the male-only concert in Saudi Arabia, and wrote on social media. Photo: Instagram screengrab
Another user made the same observation on Nelly’s own Instagram post of the event: "Its so sad that girls are not allowed to be there and see you".
In May country music singer Toby Keith visited Riyadh. His concert was on the same weekend that President Trump visited Saudi Arabia.
Toby Keith a famous American country singer performed in Riyadh along with Rabeh Saqer. Photo: Arab News
The concert was only for men and above the age of 21 and over, and the concert-goers were required to dress in traditional Saudi tunics.
Some reports on the concert suggested that Keith was asked not to include songs like Whiskey Girl and I Love This Bar, and was asked to tone down some of the lyrical content due to Saudi Arabia’s strict laws against alcohol.
Last year Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman backed the establishment of the Kingdom’s General Entertainment Authority. It’s part of its Vision 2030 plan to expand the economy beyond its reliance on oil.
However, the authority’s plans face regular push back. When it organised the recent National Day celebrations both women and men were permitted to attend and mix together. But there was a backlash by Saudi clerics and conservative members of society.
Similar criticism was made when it organised its first Comic Con convention in February.
