American singer Tyga cancels concert at Lebanon's Byblos International Festival

The Byblos International Festival announced on Wednesday evening the cancellation of a concert that was scheduled to be performed by the American singer Tyga on Saturday as part of the festival's conclusion. The festival takes place in the coastal Lebanese city of Jbeil, north of Beirut, for reasons stated to be "beyond its control." 

The festival, which started this year on the fifth of the current month after an "involuntary hiatus" since 2019, expressed in a statement on its social media pages that it "regretfully" announces the "cancellation of Tyga's concert scheduled for Saturday, August 19, due to reasons beyond its control." 

It indicated that individuals who purchased tickets for the concert can request refunds starting from next Monday, with additional details in this regard to be announced "soon." 

Tyga had previously performed a musical show in Beirut in 2013. It was planned for him to return this year to perform before the Lebanese audience as part of the Byblos Festival, which, since its inception two decades ago, has hosted a number of international stars. 

Responding to questions from Agence France-Presse (AFP), the Byblos Festival administration denied any connection to the cancellation decision, stating that their role was limited to renting the theater in Jbeil to the organizing company of the concert. 

The organizing company, "Monkey Management," was not immediately available to respond to AFP's questions. 

While no official reason has been provided by those involved regarding the cancellation, circulating posts on social media linked the decision to the fact that the American rapper and R&B music star, aged 33, was set to perform in Israel on the Wednesday, just three days before his scheduled concert in Lebanon. 

The American singer, known for his hits “Taste” to “Ayy Macarena," is currently on a worldwide tour with official stops in several Middle Eastern locations this week, including Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia. 

Lebanon and Israel remain technically at war, and Lebanese laws prohibit entry to individuals who have visited Israel. 

Local groups often organize campaigns calling for boycotting individuals and artists who visit or openly support Israel. 

In past years, concerts of international artists have been canceled after campaigns accusing them of supporting Israel were conducted through media or social networks.  

Additionally, Lebanese authorities prevented Kuwaiti media personality Fajer Al-Saeed from entering Lebanon two months ago, forcing her to leave shortly after her arrival at Beirut's airport. This decision was attributed to her public affirmation of having previously entered Israeli territory. 

AFP