Jewish groups denounce upcoming Montreal show by rapper accused of antisemitism

By The Canadian Press on November 13, 2022.

MONTREAL – A Jewish group is calling on a Montreal venue to cancel a performance by a French rapper whose music it describes as openly hateful and antisemitic.

B’nai Brith Canada sent a letter on Friday to the owners of the L’Olympia theatre in Montreal, urging them to cancel a Dec. 4 show by musician Freeze Corleone.

The national director of B’nai Brith’s League of Human Rights says Freeze Corleone has compared himself to Hitler and his lyrics include Holocaust denial and antisemitic tropes.

Marvin Rotrand says his group will be speaking to the Canada Border Services Agency and Quebec authorities in the hopes that the artist won’t be allowed to perform.

The rapper has been criticized in the past by the International League Against Racism and AntiSemitism and by French politicians, but Rotrand says he doesn’t appear to have been convicted of a hate-related crime.

The venue’s management team did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 13, 2022.

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