Cornell University has canceled a performance by R&B star Kehlani after complaints to the Ivy League school’s president that she expressed antisemitic and anti-Israel sentiments.
Kehlani was scheduled to perform next month as the headliner at an annual celebration at the upstate New York school called Slope Day. But President Michael Kotlikoff said Wednesday he was rescinding the invitation because it has “injected division and discord” into the May 7 event.
“In the days since Kehlani was announced, I have heard grave concerns from our community that many are angry, hurt, and confused that Slope Day would feature a performer who has espoused antisemitic, anti-Israel sentiments in performances, videos, and on social media,” Kotlikoff wrote in an open letter. ”While any artist has the right in our country to express hateful views, Slope Day is about uniting our community, not dividing it.”
Emails seeking comment were sent to Kehlani’s representatives.
Kehlani has used their position to publicly support Palestinians. She sings in front of a Palestinian flag in the “Next 2 U” music video, which features the phrase “long live the intifada” at its start. Intifada, an Arabic word for “uprising” or “resistance,” is seen by some as a call for violence against Jews.
Cornell is among the many U.S. universities trying to navigate increased campus tensions since the war in Gaza, dealing with both pro-Palestinian demonstrations and accusations that antisemitism has been allowed to go unchecked. The Trump administration this month froze more than $1 billion in federal funding for Cornell while the government investigates alleged civil rights violations.
Kotlikoff said he conferred with event organizers and other students before dropping Kehlani.
“I understand that my decision will be celebrated by some and criticized by others,” Kotlikoff wrote. “I believe it is the right thing to do and the decision I must make to ensure community and safety at this high-profile event that reaches the entire campus.”