Promoters of the Rock the Bells hip-hop festival have canceled two shows in Washington this weekend and two in the New York City area next weekend because of lackluster ticket sales.
The announcement late on Thursday afternoon came as a shock to hip-hop fans on the East Coast. The annual festival, which does two-day stops in several major cities and attracts many of the biggest figures in the genre, is one of the biggest events on the hip-hop calendar.
The California-based company that puts on the event, Guerilla Union, put out a statement apologizing to fans and corporate sponsors. “It’s extremely unfortunate that we can’t complete the last half of the 10th Anniversary Rock the Bells tour,” said Chang Weisberg, the owner of Guerilla Union. “We did everything in our power to save the show. Unfortunately, the financial loss would have been devastating.”
Mr. Weisberg said full refunds would be given to ticket holders at the locations where the tickets were purchased. The festival was to have taken place at R.F.K. Stadium in Washington on Saturday and Sunday, then at the Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford, N.J., on Oct. 4 and 5. The lineup was to have featured Kid Cudi, Wu-Tang Clan, Wale, Chief Keef, J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar, among a score of other rappers.
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