The Street Dreams
Tour date in Providence, RI was canceled yesterday (Mar. 14), when city officials
could not reach an agreement with the 18-year-old promoter on a license restriction.
According
to The Providence Journal, an earlier agreement reached between the Board
of Licenses and promoter Lowell Williams fell apart, causing the Mar. 29 date
at the Dunkin Donuts Center to be canceled.
The board demanded that none of the artists appear at any after parties in the
area, to reduce the risk of violence. The
artists agreed, but the deal fell apart when the board also demanded that performers
be paid their remaining fees at least 12 hours after their performances, in order
to guarantee that the rappers abided by the terms of the agreement.
Last week, The Providence Police Department voiced their concerns and objected
to the Mar. 29 Street Dreams Tour date, which features headliners Young Jeezy,
Jim Jones, Lil’ Wayne, Baby, Fat Joe and Rich BoyPolice
said Jones’ association with the Bloods street gang could cause bloodshed, because
the Providence metropolitan area is mainly Crip territory. The
police also labeled Cash Money Records CEO Bryan "Baby/Birdman" Williams
and platinum selling rapper Lil’ Wayne as gang members.Williams
lawyer Robert D’Amico said that the performers were unwilling to wait that long
to be paid the remaining balance of their performance fees, where are normally
paid prior to the artists performance. Despite
the fact that The Street Dreams Tour has played two dates with no issues or reports
of violence, Deputy Police Chief Paul J. Kennedy was pleased with the board’s
decision to revoke the license and cancel the concert. Kennedy
said the decision was made on Jones’ and the other rappers ties to gangs and had
nothing to do with Hip-Hop music. “It’s
really important that the city and the Police Department look at the history of
specific bands and specific acts," Kennedy said.
