Kehlani has issued a statement addressing her removal from Cornell University’s “Slope Day” lineup due to her comments about Israel. On Saturday (April 26), the singer posted a video response to the situation, strongly rejecting the university’s allegation that she had “espoused antisemitic…sentiments.” Instead, she explained that she opposes Israel’s assault on Gaza, which organizations like Amnesty International have described as genocide—a claim Israel firmly denies.
“I’m being asked to clarify and make a statement yet again,” she began, after mentioning she’s currently with Jewish and Palestinian people in her circle—including her best friend, who is a Palestinian Jew. “I’m not antisemitic or anti-Jew. I’m anti-genocide, anti-actions of the Israeli government, anti-extermination of entire people, anti-bombing of innocent children, men, and women. That’s what I’m anti.”
“The very first live I did at the beginning of this genocide was with a really beautiful Jewish organization called Jewish Voices [sic] for Peace and I still continue to learn from and work alongside really impactful Jewish organizers against this genocide,” she added.
Kehlani went on to suggest the lineup removal wasn’t getting her down. “I want to be very clear that I do believe that God has plans for me, and that’s not going to stop nothing I’ve got going on,” she stated.
In her post caption, Kehlani indicated that Cornell’s cancellation isn’t the only one she’s currently facing.
“I know you’ve seen Cornell University cancelled my show, and now there are attempts at other cancellations on top of the cancellations i’ve already experienced over the past year,” the singer wrote. “If you want to cancel me from opportunity, stand on it being because of your zionism. don’t make it anti-jew.”
Kehlani was initially announced as a performer for Cornell University’s “Slope Day,” before the school received complaints about her “anti-Israel sentiments.” In her 2024 music video for “Next 2 U,” she waves Palestinian flags. The video opens with the phrase “long live the intifada.” Chants using “intifada”—the Arabic word for “uprising”—are viewed by some Jews and Israelis as “a call for indiscriminate violence against Israel,” according to the ADL. However, many Gazans maintain that the word is, as NPR reports, “a peaceful call to resist Israel’s occupation of Gaza and the West Bank.”
“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,” Cornell’s President Michael Kotlikoff wrote on the school’s website.
“For that reason, I am rescinding Kehlani’s invitation,” Kotlikoff continued, stating that a new headliner would be announced soon.
