Kid Cudi Shows Up At Bonnaroo Despite Arrest
By VJ, WENNSunday, June 13, 2010
KID CUDI refused to let his arrest on Friday (11Jun10) ruin his Bonnaroo festival plans in Tennessee - the rapper showed up hours after leaving police custody in New York to perform for fans.
Event organisers feared the rap star would be a no-show for his 2am set in Manchester, but he made it just in time to serve up a high-energy set.
Cudi was arrested on Friday on charges of criminal mischief and criminal possession of a controlled substance.
Taking to the stage at Bonnaroo, he told fans, “I really wanted to be here tonight.”
His performance brought an end to a terrific first day at Bonnaroo, which featured stunning performances from The National, Kings of Leon and Nas & Damian ‘Gong’ Marley.
Before Kid Cudi’s set, Daryl Hall served up one of the night’s biggest surprises when he joined Chromeo onstage for a medley of revamped Hall & Oates hits.
Saturday (12Jun10) was Jay-Z’s day - the rapper headlined the festival and wowed fans with a fast-paced 90-minute set of hits and favourites.
Other highlights of the second day included Norah Jones, Weezer, Stevie Wonder and Jimmy Cliff.
Wonder got political during his funky set, urging music fans to “keep it real” and attack racism whenever they experienced it.
Performing his Living for the City anti-racism anthem, he also told the 90,000 at Bonnaroo to support U.S. President Barack Obama as he faces opposition from white supremacists.
Wonder said, “We can never let no one ever get us back to a place like this again… You want to be a supremacist? Then be the supreme of getting people together.”
He also had some advice for anyone confronted with racist talk: “You say, ‘Hey what’s that smell? It smells like some bulls**t!’ Are we in agreement?”
The 2010 festival hasn’t all been fun in the sun - police have so far arrested more than 50 people at Bonnaroo, mostly on drunk and disorderly and drug-related charges. Lawmakers on site have issued more than 200 citations, which is up on last year’s (09) event.
The hot weather has also been a big headline this year - temperatures have soared into the 100s and thunderstorms are expected on Sunday (13Jun10), when the Dave Matthews Band will close the four-day festival.
