The problem with police and rap in Syracuse: Black promoters say cops routinely interfere with their shows

Azariah Yemma of Upper Echelon Entertainment stands in front of The Oncenter War Memorial in Syracuse, N.Y. (Katrina Tulloch | ktulloch@syracuse.com)

Azariah Yemma of Upper Echelon Entertainment stands in front of The Oncenter War Memorial in Syracuse, N.Y. Yemma and other promoters said of all the acts they bring to the city, it's the shows with Black hip-hop and rap artists that are repeatedly roadblocked. "This is what we go through here," he said. (Photo by Katrina Tulloch | ktulloch@syracuse.com)

Two days before a Lil Durk concert in early April, the show venue posted a message on Facebook: “The Oncenter regrets to announce that, due to extenuating circumstances the Lil Durk show … has been postponed.”

The “extenuating circumstances” were advice from the Syracuse Police Department to the venue operator, ASM Global, to cancel the show. The police had received warnings of potential violence related to the rumored appearance of a local rapper with past gang ties.

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