Toronto 2015 officials have fiercely defended the choice of Kanye West to headline the Closing Ceremony of the ongoing Pan American Games here following a major outcry over his controversial lyrics and non-Canadian origin. A petition has been circulating but it has garnered just 30,000 signatures so far.
Advertisement
West’s performance was first rumored after Anthony Bennett, member of the Canadian men’s basketball team, tweeted about it. A few thought he was confusing West with Toronto rap star K’Naan. One small problem: West is from Chicago.
Since announcing on Wednesday that Grammy-winning West will be part of a lineup including USA rapper Pitbull and Canadian musician Serena Ryder, a number of online petitions have popped up asking officials to reconsider.
“It would have been nice to see a Canadian but you know what, that’s a staple for hip hop right there, so a shoutout to Kanye, a shoutout to Canada”, he said on CBC TV. The Pan Am Games, which are held in a different city every four years, are a global event, and the United States has more than 600 people participating, only second to Canada (720 team members). “It’s highly appropriate to have artists from those countries of origins”, said Rafi.
Tory later concede his gaffe to a scrum of reporters.
The mayor poked fun at himself in the one-minute gag clip posted Thursday, after he mistook West, who is American, for a Canadian artist earlier this week.
Advertisement
In the video, Tory is reading the latest issue of Rolling Stone, with Kardashian on the cover.
