(AFP) A French rapper known for his provocative pro-Muslim lyrics said Friday that he would cancel two upcoming concerts at the Bataclan, where 90 people were shot dead when jihadist gunmen stormed the venue during the November 2015 terror attacks in Paris.
Medine, a French-born singer of Algerian descent, had drawn fire from rightwing politicians as well as some of the victims’ families after announcing the shows at the historic concert hall.
Tickets quickly sold out when they went on sale a few weeks after Medine released an album featuring the song “Bataclan,” where he recounts years of dreaming he would one day play there.
Although he has denounced Islamic fundamentalism since the attacks, in which 130 people were killed and over 350 wounded, critics have latched onto songs such as “Don’t Laik,” where he assails France’s secular policies as discriminatory towards Muslims.
