By: Gabrielle Taite & Dennis Byron
The concert, which features other popular artist such as Liam Payne and Steve Aoki, will take place at the King Abdullah Sports Stadium in the Red Sea City. Additionally, it will follow the Saudi laws and remain alcohol and drug-free.
The announcement of the Anaconda singer’s performance comes as a shock to many as Saudi Arabia has historically been extremely conservative. The rapper is known for her provocative lyrics, outfits and dance moves, making this a shocking performance choice for the Saudi government. This attempt to modernize comes after other performers such as Mariah Carey, David Guetta, The Black Eyed Peas, and Enrique Iglesias have made special appearances.
While responses have been fairly positive, many Saudi women have expressed their frustration and even going so far as to call the Saudi government “hypocrites”, as they are required to dress modestly in a full length robe known as the abaya as well as cover their hair and faces.
This is just one of the many changes that the Saudi government has made so far. It just recently became legal for Saudi women to drive cars as well as attend events in sports stadiums. Additionally, the Saudi police used to raid any establishment which would play loud music. However, the country still has a long way to go considering that gender segregation is still very prominent in places such as schools, shops and restaurants.
In related news, the lead investigator for the U.N. probe into the slaying of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi said on Tuesday that the world’s wealthiest nations have done little to hold Saudi Arabia to account and suggested the kingdom lose the privilege of hosting next year’s Group of 20 summit. We wonder if Nicki Minaj even considered the death of journalist Khashoggi prior to booking this gig?
