Tory Lanez will not perform at the first UCONNIC festival. (The Come Up Show, Anton Mak/Flickr, Creative Commons)
Rapper Tory Lanez will not be performing at the UCONNIC music festival as originally announced.
Lanez canceled the performance due to a “personal family matter,” according to an announcement by SUBOG.
Lanez’ cancellation comes less than two weeks before the April 12 festival.
The announcement declares “UCONNIC must go on!” and maintains the rest of the festival will go ahead as planned.
An email to the SUBOG concert committee by SUBOG concert chair Adam Sherif said the board is working to secure a performer to replace Lanez, but an exact artist has yet to be confirmed.
“Booking artists is not a process that happens overnight,” the email said.
The email said the committee shared the news before securing a replacement because they wanted to tell students as soon as possible.
“Students expect us to communicate more and faster than we ever have before. To meet that expectation, we will share the news with the campus tonight, while we still continue to finalize replacements,” the email said.
Read Sherif’s email in full below:
I’ve rewrote this email a few different times trying to figure out exactly what to say and how to explain. Regardless, I wanted to be sure that we shared the news with you first. Last weekend, Harris called to tell us that Tory Lanez would potentially be cancelling his performance at UCONNIC. Apparently, a personal family matter came up and he was no longer available. Naturally, this was bad news. So, through Harris, we spent some time trying to convince him to reconsider – he didn’t change his mind. While I wish I didn’t have to, I’m writing this to share that Tory Lanez will not be performing at UCONNIC, as planned.
Immediately, the entire board began running through potential replacements, the most challenging thing we’ve done all year. As you could imagine, trying to find people that are available, affordable, and appropriate replacements is not easy so close to the show. Our goal was to find a new artist(s) before delivering this news to minimize the blowback we will inevitably get. But, with that, booking artists is not a process that happens overnight. While we are confident we can make the best decision for the show in the time we have, we also recognize the need to share this news sooner rather than later. After last year, students expect us to communicate more and faster than we ever have before. To meet that expectation, we will share the news with the campus tonight, while we still continue to finalize replacements.
2 weeks out is last minute for sure, but it’s not the night of. As a committee, we have been through worse. This is a disappointing and unexpected blow to UCONNIC. It’s saddening, it’s confusing, it’s frustrating, and it sucks – but it could be worse. There is so much to be proud of about the year you’ve created and the festival you’ve designed. From fall concert, to the playlist, to the survey, to the committee size, to the exposure on campus – you’ve transformed this committee beyond anyone’s expectations. You’ve transformed spring concert to an event that has everyone on their toes. You practically broke Twitter by putting a graphic out with a giant red x. You sold 1000 tickets in a presale period. You booked the #1 requested artist. You filled the Student Union Ballroom to capacity for a release party. You outsold last year’s show in 24 hours. You’ve added an outdoor portion to our typical concert with more attractions and entertainment than people are prepared for. You have a lot to be proud of.
Tory Lanez wasn’t UCONNIC – he was just another piece of it. Sure, we wish he didn’t cancel – but should it distract from everything else we’ve accomplished in one year? Absolutely not. UCONNIC is a game changer and anyone who doesn’t see that just isn’t paying attention. In the next few hours, days, weeks, and probably months (the bored haters), you’re going to hear a lot of criticism – complaining about UCONNIC, complaining about concert, complaining about SUBOG. It’s going to be frustrating but it’s understandable. People will be upset and we can’t control that. But, we can control our own excitement for the event. Stay excited for Khalid, the food trucks, the silent disco, the mechanical bull, the production, the photobooths, the after party. Stay excited for UCONNIC. You created this and you have a right to be proud of it.
I don’t think I say enough that none of this would be possible without all of you. We’ve come far as hell this year and we still have space to grow. Let’s continue on this path and finish the first UCONNIC strong. After sharing this news, we continue to focus on the good we are doing. We advertise, we distribute wristbands, and we move on with business as usual. People will complain but those people will always find something to complain about. It’s our jobs to look past that and constantly improve our events to be more iconic at UConn. Like I said, I know this will be disappointing but UCONNIC is still happening – and it will still be the best event this campus has ever seen, until next years of course.
As always, feel free to hit me up with any questions, comments, concerns, etc.
Keep prospering,
Adam
Schae Beaudoin is the life editor for The Daily Campus. She can be reached by email at schae.beaudoin@uconn.edu.
