Edited by: TJVNews.com

The City Parks Foundation, the nonprofit organization responsible for New York’s iconic SummerStage concert series, has canceled a scheduled Central Park performance by R&B singer Kehlani after receiving pressure from the administration of Mayor Eric Adams. As The New York Times reported on Monday, the cancellation reflects intensifying political and public scrutiny surrounding pro-Palestinian artists, raising concerns about artistic freedom, safety, and the influence of city officials on cultural programming.

The concert, titled “Pride With Kehlani,” was slated for June 26 and had been billed as part of New York City’s broader Pride Month festivities. However, on Monday, the foundation announced that the event was being called off in response to a letter from First Deputy Mayor Randy M. Mastro. In the letter, obtained and reviewed by The New York Times, Mastro warned that the foundation’s license to stage SummerStage could be jeopardized unless it took “prompt steps” to address what he described as “security concerns” related to the performance.

Although Mastro did not explicitly cite Kehlani’s political views, The New York Times report noted that his letter referenced the “controversy” surrounding the artist’s previously canceled headlining appearance at Cornell University, which had been dropped by the Ivy League school due to backlash over the singer’s pro-Palestinian expressions.

According to information provided in The New York Times report, Mastro stated that the New York City Police Department would conduct its own risk assessment of the event. He added that if law enforcement determined the concert posed “an unacceptable risk to public safety,” the city might exercise its rights under the foundation’s event license — a veiled warning that SummerStage’s future could be at stake.

The City Parks Foundation, while not referencing the threat directly in its public statement, acknowledged the pressure from City Hall in its reasoning. “We strongly and emphatically believe in artistic expression of all kinds,” the group wrote. “However, the safety and security of our guests and artists is of the utmost importance, and in light of these concerns, the concert has been canceled.”

As The New York Times reported, the show was being produced by Live Nation, and tickets — priced between $103 for general admission and $145 for bleacher seats — were still listed for sale on Ticketmaster as of Monday night. A spokesperson for Live Nation declined to comment.

The Adams administration praised the decision. “We are grateful to the City Parks Foundation for responding to our concerns and canceling the Kehlani concert in Central Park,” Kayla Mamelak Altus, a spokeswoman for the mayor, said in a statement to The New York Times. “We look forward to an exciting lineup of other performances this summer.”

The cancellation quickly drew criticism from free speech advocates and artistic freedom organizations. The New York Times cited a statement from Jonathan Friedman, managing director at PEN America, who called the cancellation “cowardly.” “It is deeply unsettling to see elected officials using their offices to dictate the bounds of acceptable expression and muscling private entities to fall into line,” Friedman said.

Kehlani, who uses she/they pronouns, has been a vocal supporter of Palestinian rights and has spoken critically of the Israeli government’s actions during the ongoing conflict in Gaza. In the 2024 music video for their song “Next 2 U,” Kehlani wore a jacket adorned with kaffiyehs while dancers waved Palestinian flags. The video opened with the phrase “Long Live the Intifada” displayed prominently.

In a social media video following the Cornell cancellation, Kehlani defended their views, saying, “I’m being asked and called to clarify and make a statement yet again for the millionth time that I am not antisemitic nor anti-Jew.” They added: “I am anti-genocide. I am anti the actions of the Israeli government.”

Reacting to the Central Park cancellation, Kehlani posted a screenshot of the show’s promotional flyer and the foundation’s cancellation notice on Instagram, writing “they canceled this one too” followed by “lol.” They added, “i’m so deeply grounded in my purpose my mission my art my contribution… back to this album. see you this weekend LA!”

As The New York Times report emphasized, the case highlights the growing friction between political oversight and cultural programming amid the war in Gaza, which has deeply polarized audiences, institutions, and artists alike. Kehlani is not the only performer to face cancellations over pro-Hamas and pro-terror sentiments, but the intervention by a high-ranking city official into an independent arts organization marks a new level of government involvement.

SummerStage, a beloved New York institution since 1986, is now at the center of a debate not only over security but over whether artistic freedom can coexist with political pressure in an era where public expression is increasingly policed by political and cultural forces alike.

As New York prepares for a summer of performances, concerts, and Pride events, the future of politically engaged artists performing on public platforms remains uncertain — and the Kehlani episode may serve as a watershed moment in defining the limits of expression in the city’s cultural life.