Christian rap and hip-hop artist Hulvey cancelled a sold-out show in Amsterdam just hours before he was due to perform , after discovering the venue had “extremely graphic” and “pornographic” images on its walls.
The location for the gig was changed because of ticket sales, with Hulvey only finding out about the images when a meet-and-greet event was due to begin on Friday. The American artist described them as being so graphic “to the point I can’t say what they were”.
Speaking to concert-goers outside the venue, Hulvey said: “I respect God’s creation way too much to make people walk in there and have to see sexual images on a wall.
“I stand for Jesus only. If that costs me a show, who cares? Because I answer to Him”, he said, pointing up to the heavens, “I am so sorry… but I will not let any of you guys have to go in there and see that. Just know in my heart, I’m standing for Jesus,” he added to a round of applause from the crowd.
In an Instagram video after the event, Hulvey confirmed the venue refused to cover the walls, a decision which “was not going to fly” for him. The rapper added that young children were going to be in attendance at the concert.
A rescheduled date is being arranged, although Hulvey believed there was “so much flexibility to throw an amazing show” as many churches and venues had contacted him offering their facilities.
Reflecting on the cancellation, Hulvey said in another video: “God took a cancelled show and ended up making it way more than I could have imagined. I was having lunch with my brother who lives in Amsterdam and he was reminding me that this was an encouragement to the body of Christ in Amsterdam and the Netherlands.
“I hope that this can be an encouragement that our decisions go way further than we think. God can use that little seed and make it something beautiful.”
He urged fans in the Netherlands to “please take this and run with it, bring people to Christ, show them who Jesus is.”