Female Rapper’s Wardrobe Malfunction At Saudi Concert Triggers Charges Of ‘Prostitution, Blasphemy’

A popular Australian rapper, Iggy Azalea, is being accused by Saudi clerics and authorities of “blasphemy” for a concert she performed last Friday in the capital of Riyadh.

The occasion was the Gamers8 Esports tournament for which she was invited as a special performer. Controversial songs included Goddess, in which she asked the audience to “bow down to a goddess” – and also there was the moment she exclaimed “Ladies, make some noise, it’s a woman’s world!”

Of course, this is ultra-male dominated Saudi society, where women are told by Islamic law they must wear the full Muslim veil and that unmarried women shouldn’t go out without a male family escort—all of his enforced by Sharia law courts and ‘morality police’.

The whole performance is being accused of being anti-Islamic, especially for lines from her lyrics which seemed directed at Islam or monotheistic religions in general like “…preaching about prophets, it ain’t no one man can stop us, bow down to a goddess.”

But given these song lyrics, and the full set, was already known in advance – it’s a wonder that Iggy was invited to give a concert in the ultra-conservative kingdom in the first place. 

At one point, quite ironically, there was even a wardrobe malfunction wherein she exposed more flesh than what the kingdom allows. It was merely her pantleg that ripped, exposing her… (gasp!) leg, up to part of her thigh, during which time a staffer frantically tried to toss her a towel to cover it up.

Showing a little leg: watch the wardrobe malfunction which temporarily stopped the show…

Iggy Azalea kicked off stage as wardrobe malfunction upsets Saudi Arabia authorities https://t.co/52WCdDsvQr pic.twitter.com/I0TldL9iLW

— HipHopDX (@HipHopDX) August 27, 2023

As Middle East Eye points out, both the host country and performer should have understood the “risks” involved in Iggy performing in Riyad: 

On X, Azalea revealed that despite the fact she changed her outfit, Saudi authorities halted the concert due to her lyrics, which, she said, sent them “over the edge”.

Social media users were quick to criticise not just the organizers of the concert, but those attending too.

One user stated “this is kufr [unbelief], blatant shirk [idolatry] being said on stage, and the Muslims were repeating it in the audience”. 

Users also noted that Azalea and her team should have known the extent and danger of the repercussions of performing in Saudi Arabia.

Most of the hate directed at the rapper came from conservative Muslims and anonymous Saudi accounts online, which charged her with ‘prostitution’ and ‘blasphemy’. Another post said the following:

Saudi Arabia just sentenced the user of an anonymous Twitter account with 10 followers to death for criticizing Mohammed Bin Salman. Meanwhile, Iggy Azalea performed a concert in Riyadh where she mocked Allah and his Prophets in front of thousands. It seems as though Madkhalis…

— Mr. Popalzai (@JournalismPopal) August 30, 2023

One wonders what would have happened if her relatively minor clothing mishap had been on the level of Janet Jackson’s during that infamous Super Bowl halftime performance.