The promoter of a canceled hip-hop literacy benefit featuring Wu-Tang Clan is threatening to sue New Jersey state officials.
Promoter Sheldon Wilson said the Friday concert was canceled because New Jersey officials pulled the state’s sponsorship of the event, which would have featured Wu-Tang Clan, Fat Joe, Carl Thomas and Redman at Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton, N.J.
Wilson said the state decided to back out because officials didn’t want to be associated with a hip-hop concert. An official with the governor’s office said a business dispute was behind the cancellation but would not elaborate on details of the dispute.
The “Read to Succeed” benefit concert was to be part of an effort to encourage inner-city kids to read more. Wilson said by pulling out of the deal, state officials were “blemishing the community they claimed to want to help.”