Rap star Nicki Minaj is set perform in Saudia Arabia later this month at the Jeddah Season cultural festival has announced. Saudi Arabia is known for its strict laws against women, including gender segregation in public places.
The ultraconservative kingdom tries to shed decades of restrictions on entertainment with this move. Saudi Arabia has also relaxed some restrictions as of late, lifting the 35-year movie-theater ban and finally giving women the right to drive. Public spaces are mostly segregated by gender and women’s rights remain restricted.
The announcement of Minaj’s performance, given the rapper’s risqué lyrics and onstage persona has sparked heated debate.
Oh dear , shame on her , @NICKIMINAJ how can you perform where women is treated like nothing , need permission to live , to study , can speak , women are fleeing for asylum , shame on you ! I hope they don’t arrest your dam ass, women is nothing to them ! So disappointed 😔
— Edu Edd Eddie (@Edumelo2009) July 3, 2019
#NickiMinaj #موسم_جدة التانقض دا شوفولكم حل له بالله يا سلط ملط ياتغطي يا مره 🙂 @JED_SEASON pic.twitter.com/jcutPoHDTt
— المناهل (@Manahil_010) July 2, 2019
Over the past several months, the kingdom has seen performances by singers including Mariah Carey, Enrique Iglesias, the Black Eyed Peas and Sean Paul, as well as DJs David Guetta and Tiesto.
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