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Slowthai found himself in a bit of a controversy over the weekend: While performing at Montreal’s Osheaga Festival, he wore a shirt with a giant swastika logo the front. While it had the word “destroy” on top, indicating his disdain for the Nazism and neo-Nazism the symbol has come to represent, seeing the symbol that prominently still rubbed some the wrong way.
Today at the @osheaga music fest, @slowthai performs wearing a #swastika t-shirt. At what point does his manager, festival organizers, or stage managers step in and say this symbol of hate has no place at the festival, in #Quebec, or in #Canada? #antisemitism @AviBenlolo pic.twitter.com/QbOeYPdLRE
— Neil Orlowsky Ph.D.(@norlowsky) July 31, 2022
So now, apologies have been made. The first came from Osheaga organizers, who tweeted yesterday, “A performer appeared on stage Saturday wearing a controversial t-shirt displaying a swastika that caused confusion. The t-shirt denounces the regime. We sincerely apologize to anyone who may have misinterpreted this message and felt hurt.”
Slowthai then followed that up with his own apology, writing, “I’m sorry to anyone who is offended by me wearing an anti-fascist/anti-regime t-shirt and the use of the symbol it represents. I want you to know I stand firmly against antisemitism and fascism of any kind, something the t-shirt was meant to illustrate with the word ‘destroy’ above the symbol.”
Slowthai has maintained a relatively low profile this year in terms of new music, as he’s been busy performing, like on the North American tour he had in April. He did pop up on Denzel Curry’s new album, though.
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