Jeddah: The stage is set for Concert performance of US hip hop artist Nelly and Algerian singer Cheb Khaled . The performance is scheduled in Jeddah on 14 December.
The concert organised by the Saudi privately-owned TV channel MBC Action and supported by Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority is open to men only. Women are not allowed to the event. The decision to allow men only has been overwhelmingly positive, but it also invited negative responses from some women in the country, who questioned about their exclusion.
One post on Instagram read @kidshop_ksa read: “ليش بس رجال”. Which translates to: “Why is it male only?”
It is not clear whether Nelly will be asked to do the same given that his most popular song, Hot in Herre, asks women to remove their clothes.
However, there were also few who opposed the event saying that Nelly was arrested for possession of marijuana and was also accused of sexual assault last month.
This is not the first concert which is to be held in conservative Kingdom Saudi Arabia.
In May country music singer Toby Keith appeared in Riyadh during the same weekend that President Trump visited.
As part of reforms and Vision 2030 plan, the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been taking various steps in the country to expand the economy beyond its reliance on oil.
The decision to permit men-only is seen as a compromise to allow entertainment and also avoid resistance from conservative groups.