Anti-sexual violence organisation Stop Demand is making a last-minute bid to stop Los Angeles rap collective Odd Future from performing with Eminem in Auckland, saying their lyrics amount to hate speech.
Odd Future was added to Saturday's Eminem bill last week at the Auckland Council-owned Western Springs after the previous performer on the undercard, Grammy Award-nominated rapper Kendrick Lamar, pulled out.
Odd Future was axed from the Big Day Out in Auckland in 2011 due to complaints about homophobic lyrics, and Stop Demand is calling for similar action ahead of Saturday's concert, saying they are infamous for rape and murder fantasy lyrics.
Stop Demand founder Denise Ritchie says it's astonishing Auckland Council would allow Odd Future to perform on a council-owned property at an "all-ages event", especially given the outcry over the Roast Busters group boasting of sex with underage drunk girls.
"We reject entirely the minimisation of such extreme women-hating vitriol by this group as mere artistic expression, or lyrics that don't appeal to sections of society," she said in a letter to councillors.
"This is not freedom of expression, as the right is intended; it is hate speech."
Odd Future's leader Tyler, the Creator, has previously defended his work as no different to film directors portraying extreme violence such as Quentin Tarantino, and his albums have featured disclaimers and lyrics saying his work is fiction.
