Jewish Rapper’s Cancellation (Mostly) Ignored by Press. Again

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Antisemitism keeps rearing its ugly head in the arts.

And, sadly, many Legacy Media outlets can’t be bothered to notice.

Notably, performers like Michael Rapaport, Matisyahu, and Brett Gelman are among those whose shows or events have been postponed recently due to unforeseen circumstances.

In most instances, the media tended to turn a blind eye, except for a handful of cases. For example, if a black artist faced cancellation because of their skin color or nationality, the media often chose not to intervene.

What kind of news coverage might that spark?

Jewish news organizations covered the cancellations extensively, and understandably so.

Despite the ongoing warnings from platforms such as IndieWire and The Hollywood Reporter about a potential authoritarian clampdown on the arts under Trump-like administrations, it’s interesting to note their relative silence when real artistic suppression occurs.

Thr (that is, the organizers or management) granted a special allowance for Kosha Dillz. This Israeli-American hip-hop artist intended to screen raw footage from his upcoming documentary, titled “Bring the Family Home,” at Facets – a theater located in Chicago. The movie chronicles the escalation of antisemitism on college campuses after October 7th.

Dillz intended to organize the event with a DePaul University student, who claims to have experienced intense anti-Semitic bullying in his educational institution.

Facets spiked the screening hours before showtime. THR has more details about the cancellation.

As a dedicated cinephile, I proposed an intriguing idea to the management at Facets Cinema: screening a film without any publicity on the marquee or online platforms to maintain an element of mystery and organic audience growth. However, they politely declined my suggestion.

RELATED: ARE CRITICS IGNORING ‘SCREAMS BEFORE SILENCE?’

The club’s reasoning for the cancellation is almost laughably predictable.

Facets explained that given Kosha Dillz’s public statements about the event and the general atmosphere, it seemed unsuitable for us to continue, as this didn’t align with our principles that prioritize the security and welfare of our community. Facets firmly denounced any form of antisemitism, Islamophobia, anti-Palestinian sentiments, and all other forms of hate or disregard for human dignity.

Initially, Facets seemed to be committed to maintaining ownership. However, it appears that there was a shift in their stance, possibly influenced by press coverage, despite minimal media attention surrounding the subsequent cancellation.

If entertainment news outlets truly valued artistic freedom, they’d devote significantly more attention to events like these.

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2025-05-20 00:03