Police think even a holographic Chief Keef concert is too risky
Midwestern authorities really don't like Chief Keef -- there are warrants for his arrest in the region, while Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has gone so far as to say the young man "promotes violence" when he performs. And apparently, that public safety concern also covers virtual performances. Police in Hammond, Indiana shut down a surprise holographic Keef concert (technically, a Pepper's Ghost trick) this weekend despite the flesh-and-bone star being 2,000 miles away in Beverly Hills, California. Officials had warned that they would clamp down if they saw Keef play, but a festival promoter argues that they didn't have a "real reason" why a hologram wasn't allowed -- especially since the musician was fundraising for victims of violence.
The shutdown raises questions about not just free speech (is it illegal to show a hologram because of who's in it?), but whether or not a digital stage show really merits the same kind of police response as an in-person gig. Even if Keef's goal had been to rile up the crowd, there was only so much he could do as a 2D image. One thing's for certain: whether or not there's a solid legal foundation for the bust, 'dangerous' artists can't count on remote projections to avoid trouble.
[Image credit: Arnold Turner/Invision for Interscope Records/AP Images]
