Chris Brown‘s past legal malfeasances have prompted governments across the world to consider barring him from performing in their countries, but the R&B star has found an unlikely ally in New Zealand, where prominent female members of the country’s indigenous Maori population have spoken out in his defense.
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Ms Raukawa Tait pointed to the dozen women gathered behind her and said they had all worked with families who had suffered domestic violence and with the perpetrators of those attacks.
Brown was convicted of felony assault in 2009 after he attacked then-girlfriend Rihanna.
Domestic violence has been called New Zealand’s “dark secret”, particularly within the Maori community, where 42% of women claim to have been abused by a romantic partner.
Rapper Tyler the Creator’s group Odd Future were in 2014 barred from New Zealand because the immigration department said they posed a “potential threat to public order”.
Maori youth would be more likely to listen to Chris Brown about changing attitudes than their elders.
“Chris Brown has not been excluded from the United Kingdom and he has recently received a visa to go into Canada and perform, that’s something that hasn’t been coming across the media lately”, said Goulter.
The women also hinted that there were racial elements at play, asking why white musicians with violent pasts like Eminem and Ozzy Osbourne were allowed to perform in New Zealand while black people like Tyson and Chris Brown were not. No, but seriously, Brown has been banned from so many countries now that, to enter New Zealand, he’d need special permissions.
Dame Tariana, addressing questions about Brown’s lyrics, said she did not support the style or language used, but said that it was the way that young people today spoke.
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Backbench National MP Judith Collins has forcefully commented on the issue several times, saying Brown is not welcome.
