It has been confirmed that Grammy Award nominated rapper Kendrick Lamar has cancelled his appearance on the New Zealand leg of Eminem‘s highly-anticipated Rapture Festival tour. Lamar will be replaced by incendiary California-based hip-hop collective Odd Future.
According to The New Zealand Herald, an “unavoidable scheduling conflict” is to blame. “New Zealand! Sorry I’m missing you this time, but the homies, Odd Future will kill it for you and I’m excited for Australia this month,” said Lamar in a press release, as reported by FasterLouder.
The show, scheduled for Western Springs, Auckland on 15th February and featuring J Cole, 360, and David Dallas, will now also feature OFWGKTA mastermind Tyler, The Creator, with support from brothers-in-arms Hodgy Beats, Domo Genesis, Left Brain, Mike G, and Taco Bennett.
Auckland recently played host to Genesis and Bennett, as well as Earl Sweatshirt, when they appeared as part of Laneway Festival 2014. This came following Odd Future’s cancellation from the NZ leg of the 2012 Big Day Out, after an eruption of furore from the LGBT community.
Lamar is still expected to perform throughout Rapture’s Australian leg, which kicks off Wednesday, 19th February at Melbourne’s Etihad Stadium, with a lineup that will include Lamar, Eminem, J Cole, 360, and Action Bronson, who was drafted following Chance The Rapper’s cancellation.
