Lupe Fiasco kicked off stage at inauguration show

Lupe Fiasco. Photo/Richard Robinson

Lupe Fiasco has been rushed off stage at a pre-inauguration concert for Barack Obama after performing an anti-war song and telling the audience he did not vote for the President.

The rapper was on stage at the StartUp RockOn event in Washington when he started rapping lyrics calling talk radio hosts Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh racists and criticising Obama for failing to take action on conflict in the Gaza Strip.

"Limbaugh is a racist. Glenn Beck is a racist. Gaza strip was being bombed, Obama didn't say s**t," he said.

He went on to say he didn't vote for Obama and would not vote for any President.

Security staff reportedly told Fiasco, who was born Wasalu Muhammad Jaco, to move on to the next song.

When he refused the lights were dimmed and he was asked to leave the stage early.

Organisers told reporters Fiasco was not asked to leave the stage because of his views - but because his performance wasn't up to scratch.

"We are staunch supporters of free speech, and free political speech. This was not about his opinions. Instead, after a bizarrely repetitive, jarring performance that left the crowd vocally dissatisfied, organizers decided to move on to the next act."

Fiasco has been outspoken in his criticism of Obama, who he once called the "biggest terrorist" in the US in an interview with CBS news.

He also described the president as a "child killer" for ordering drone attacks.

- Herald Online