E-40’s scheduled concert
in Oregon last night (Dec. 11) was canceled due to authorities’ fear of alcohol
sales, the show’s content and possible gang violence. The performance
was supposed to be held at a teen dance club called VIBES, but was called off
after Director Tom Cole discovered that several police and Medford City Council
members opposed the show."We found
out [E-40] was a gangster rapper," Councilman Skip Knight told the Medford
Mail Tribune. "We thought that was inappropriate for our town. We don’t
want somebody stirring up a gang issue, and this guy promotes that stuff."Fliers promoting
the show also mentioned that a beer garden would be accessible for adults in
the upper level of VIBES, which is run by Kids Unlimited, an organization that
offers after-school programs and services for about 1,000 young people a week.Police gave City
Council members a list of calls local police have had to respond to at VIBES
in the past, Knight said, though he was unclear whether any of the incidents
happened at E-40’s previous shows at the venue.According to Coles,
the Bay Area rapper’s appearances at VIBES in 2001 and 2003 were free of disruptions.
"There weren’t
any problems with assaults…or with gangs congregating, or anything like that,"
Cole said. "I feel like he has been real sensitive in the past, knowing
it’s a younger crowd."The concert would
have conflicted with Kids Unlimited’s aim to help underprivileged youths."We had concerns
people would get pretty wound up,"
said Medford Police Chief Eric Mellgren."We just want to make sure downtown is safe."E-40 was not available
for comment at press time.
