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These New York City Lawmakers Want Kehlani and Noname’s Shows Uncanceled

City council members ask SummerStage to reinstate Kehlani and Noname's canceled concerts, condemnging Mayor Eric Adams’ office for interfering

After Kehlani and Noname ’s forthcoming concerts for New York’s annual SummerStage series were canceled this month – the first under pressure by Mayor Eric Adams ’ office – 13 city council members have condemned his office’s actions in a letter urging organizers to reinstate the shows and “recommit to your publicly stated values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and the First Amendment rights to free speech and artistic expression that serve as the bedrock of our democracy.” The letter, shared exclusively with Rolling Stone, is addressed to the executive director and board chair of City Parks Foundation, which hosts SummerStage. If the NYPD found “serious safety concerns,” Mastro wrote, the office would have to determine the “status of the Foundation’s license.” Subsequently, City Parks canceled the show, writing on Instagram, “We strongly and emphatically believe in artistic expression of all kinds. “It appears that the cancellation of Kehlani and Noname’s shows have little to do with ‘security concerns’ and more to do with the artists’ political views against the devastating bombardment and humanitarian crisis in Gaza,” write the councilmembers, lead by Council Members Tiffany Cabán and Nantasha Williams of Queens, New York.

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