A June 22 concert in Rockford, Illinois featuring rapper DMX has been canceled, due to security concerns raised by local police.
DMX kicked off a 17-city-tour across the eastern portion of the United States on June 15 to promote his latest release The Definition of X: The Pick of the Litter, a compilation of his greatest hits.
The rapper was supposed to perform at Club Elixur, a venue that is billed as Rockford’s largest nightclub.
Police met with the owners of Club Elixur after an article in the Rockford Register Star was printed on June 7, that stated that DMX was expected to sell-out the show.
The owners planned to have 20 security guards stationed around the club for the DMX concert, but the extra security measures were not enough to convince officials that the venue could adequately provide security for its patrons.
“The key is sufficient crowd control,” Rockford City Attorney Jennifer Cacciapaglia told the Rockford Register Star. “If the Mormon Tabernacle Choir were performing, it’s logical to assume you’re not dealing with an adrenaline-charged crowd. But any time you have high-energy performances, you want to make sure everybody inside and out of the venue is safe.”
The owners of Elixur agreed that they were not properly prepared for the crowds that would flock to see DMX and promptly canceled the show.
According to DMX’s agent Kirk Ceballos, the rapper is looking to replace the canceled date on June 22, with a new appearance in the Chicago area.
