Kyle
The folks at StartupRockOn have done some phenomenal things since three startups, HyperVocal, EventFarm and Fighter Interactive formed the collaborative last year. They formed the company to promote startup and entrepreneurship alongside high profile events. We attended Startup RockOn parties at the Republican National Convention and the Democratic National Convention. Although invited, we were unfortunately unable to attend last nights inaugural bash which included a pitch contest and a performance by controversial rapper Lupe Fiasco.
Lupe Fiasco, the well known grammy nominated artist from Chicago, has been very vocal about his political preferences, which don’t include the President of The United States, from his hometown.
Fiasco was criticized last year for speaking out against Obama and the trend reportedly continued last night. He told CBS in an interview in 2011 “My fight against terrorism, to me, the biggest terrorist is Obama and the United States of America. I’m trying to fight the terrorism that’s actually causing the other forms of terrorism.”
Apparently Fiasco took the stage and immediately started into a political diatribe. The Daily Caller is reporting that Josh Rogin a reporter with the Foreign Policy Magazine tweeted: “Lupe Fiasco just got thrown off stage here at the Hamilton Live after he went on an anti-Obama diatribe mid set.”
Rogin continued: “So Lupe played one anti-war song for 30 min and said he didn’t vote for Obama and eventually was told to move on to the next song…Lupe refused to move to the next song so a team of security guards came on stage and told him to go.”
Startup RockOn is very progressive in their views on technology and politics and is a staunch supporter of the first amendment. At their DNC event in Charlotte North Carolina the Roots played who are another group that are sometimes known for voicing their political opinion.
Ripping the President with an anti-war sentiment on the day before his ceremonial inauguration (Obama actually took the oath of office on Sunday), may not have been the best idea nor sat right with the events organizers.
Startup RockOn said in a statement: that the artist, “left the stage earlier than we had planned. But Lupe Fiasco was not ‘kicked off stage’ for an ‘anti-Obama rant.’”
“We are staunch supporters of free speech, and free political speech,” the organizers continued. “This was not about his opinions. Instead, after a bizarrely repetitive, jarring performance that left the crowd vocally dissatisfied, organizers decided to move on to the next act.”
Even with this controversy Startup RockOn will continue to produce high profile events that promote entrepreneurs in settings that you don’t typically see startups. The organization is a major partner with Startup America. Earlier this month Startup America spokes person Chris Roche told nibletz that they were not doing an official Startup America event at the inauguration, as they are trying to hold a bipartisan stance on politics.
You can find more on Startup RockOn here
