Nicki Minaj is under pressure to cancel her upcoming gig in Angola, amid criticism from human rights groups who oppose her decision to perform at an event connected to the president’s family.
The Grammy-nominated rapper is set to perform on Saturday at a Christmas festival sponsored by Unitel, a communications company controlled by President José Eduardo dos Santos’ family.
Dos Santos has led Angola for 36 years, despite having never been formally elected. He stands accused of abusing the country’s oil wealth to enrich himself, his family and a narrow elite while failing to deliver housing, education and jobs to the majority.
The Human Rights Foundation president, Thor Halvorssen, said that as a “global artist”, Minaj should cancel her appearance at the festival.
“Millions of people look up to her for creative inspiration,” said Halvorssen. “There is no good reason for her to do business with the corrupt Angolan dictatorship and endorse the ruler’s family company.”
Seventeen Angolan activists were detained in June for organizing a reading of American academic Gene Sharp’s book From Dictatorship to Democracy: A Conceptual Framework for Liberation. One of those detained is Luaty Beirão, a rapper. In a further blow to freedom of expression, prominent Angolan journalist Rafael Marques de Morais was given a six-month suspended jail term this year for “defaming” the army in a book that revealed killings in the country’s diamond fields.
HRF outlined this and other alleged human rights abuses in a letter to Minaj via her representative Brian Sher at Category 5 Entertainment.
“Considering the information above – and with great appreciation for your work as an artist – HRF believes that your participation in a performance sponsored by a thuggish kleptocratic dynasty involved in gross human rights violations would be improper,” Halvorssen said. “Furthermore, it would be disastrous for a public figure of your standing who has articulated a commitment to education and social justice.”
Minaj, who this week celebrated the first anniversary of the release of her triple platinum album The Pinkprint,has not responded publicly to the letter. The rapper could not be reached for comment.
Source: theGuardian