Kabaka Pyramid’s European tour hits a snag

GRAMMY-WINNING reggae artiste Kabaka Pyramid is facing some heat as three of the shows on his current European tour have been cancelled due to allegations of anti-Semitic comments.

According to European website www.diepresse.com, it is alleged that, in private
Instagram conversations, Kabaka Pyramid made remarks about Jews and Israelis.

The shows that have been affected are those that were scheduled for Germany and Austria.

An open letter from the Artists Against Antisemitism and Concerned Reggae Collective, which was accompanied by an assessment by the Research and Information Centre for Antisemitism North Rhine-Westphalia (RIAS NRW) from January 2024, painted a picture.

“Kabaka Pyramid’s statements show ‘that supposedly harmless motives of ‘criticism of Israel’ occur in combination with openly anti-Semitic ideas,” according to RIAS NRW.

Kabaka Pyramid issued a statement to the Jamaica Observer through his publicist Ronnie Tomlinson.

The statement read: “I, Kabaka Pyramid, have a long-standing history of sharing conscious messages, social commentary, and universal love through my music and actions for over a decade. The assumptions derived from story posts and private DM conversations taken out of context should not be misconstrued as a public statement of a political position or opinion. I want to clarify that I am not anti-Semitic or against any race or group. I denounce any form of violence and terrorism against innocent individuals worldwide. My song Worldwide Love reflects my stance on this issue among many others,” said Kabaka Pyramid.

The statement continued: “I stand for all people, regardless of race, nationality, or ethnicity, advocating for love and unity. My commitment lies in upholding truth and justice, opposing the mistreatment of marginalised communities globally. Throughout my career, I have maintained this stance and will continue to do so…

“I want to emphasise that the historical context of oppression in Europe makes this subject a particularly sensitive one, but our shows in other countries in the region remain unaffected, with promoters showing understanding and cooperation. Our evaluation of the situation is supported by the agents, venues and promoters we collaborate with. My team and I are working hard to reach out and are available to engage in dialogue with those involved at a very sensitive time.”

The tour, which began earlier this month in the United Kingdom, is scheduled to snake its way through France, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, and Spain. It is expected to wrap on November 2 in France before the artiste embarks on dates in North America.

Said Kabaka Pyramid: “Our 22 city/show European tour has been off to a beautiful start, we are grateful to the people of Dortmund, Germany, for an incredible event last Friday and are looking forward to continuing this tour in the great tradition and message of reggae music, love. With these three cancellations my feelings right now are for the fans who have been waiting to see us perform and are so appreciative of the message that we have stood for from the beginning.”

Kabaka Pyramid, real name Keron Salmon, has released two EPs and two full-length studio albums to date. His 2022 album The Kalling won the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album.

Among his hit songs are Well Done and Mi Alright with Chronixx.