Lil Wayne is currently making his way across America, bypassing large venues like arenas, amphitheaters, and festivals in favor of small clubs. The Release Partiez tour kicked off in May and celebrates the release of the Sorry 4 The Wait 2 mixtape, which came out in January.
The tour hasn’t gotten off to a smashing start, with a number of “unfortunate incidents” creating headlines. Here’s the checklist:
Have your tour bus shot at? Check.
Have your security knock a fan out? Check.
Have an onstage kerfuffle with your DJ? Check.
That’s an impressive run. But wait, there’s more.
Have a dust-up between your entourage and a club’s security team? Check!
At a recent stop in Minneapolis, Lil Wayne had no problems getting through club security, but his entourage was another story… specifically, a story about a group of dudes who flat-out refused to be searched. The show ended up being cancelled, with the venue simply saying that “members of his (Lil Wayne) entourage refused to take part in the Venue’s standard safety procedures” in a Facebook post.
From the Minneapolis Star Tribune:
“[They] are similar, if not identical, to safety standards and procedures utilized by clubs and arenas throughout the United States and the Twin Cities,” the club noted. “These safety procedures are explained and provided to each performer in advance of any performance or concert that occurs at the Venue.”
You could counter with the argument that an artist as big as Lil Wayne and his crew should be excluded from a club’s security policy. It’s not like they’d have to deal with such things if they were playing the Target Center. But they’re not playing the Target Center. As a result, Lil Wayne and his entourage should be made to comply with the club’s policies, especially because they knew what they were getting into.
The club tour continues, though, with upcoming stops in Illinois and Arizona. We’ll see what trouble awaits the rest of the tour.
(Via Stereogum)
