TIJUANA, Mexico (Reuters) – The Mexican singer known as Peso Pluma has called off an October concert in Tijuana, a city on the border with the United States, after receiving death threats, his record label said on Wednesday.
Several banners appeared on four major roads in Tijuana warning in red letters that if the 24-year-old, whose real name is Hassan Kabande, sang in the city, it would be his last performance.
It was not clear who posted the banners or why they wanted to kill him.
“Our aim is to protect the fans and the team,” independent label Doble P Records posted on Instagram, thanking fans for their understanding. “We are canceling our show in Tijuana for the safety of everyone involved.”
Tijuana, which is facing increasing violence, has for years been the site of bloody battles between criminal groups who often promote themselves through a musical genre known as “narcocorrido” – narrative songs that tell stories of drug traffickers.
Several narcocorrido artists have been killed by members of criminal groups.
Peso Pluma’s music spans reggaeton, trap and corridos tumbados – a genre that mixes the traditional Mexican corrido with urban genres and violent lyrics. Some of his most popular songs evoke drug cartels, prompting criticism from those who claim his songs make an apology for drug trafficking.
Mexico’s government reported 1,399 murders in Baja California state during the first eight months of this year, with Tijuana – where Peso Pluma was set to perform on Oct. 14 – representing the greatest share.
(Reporting by Lizbeth Diaz in Mexico City; Additional reporting by Diego Oré in Mexico City; Writing by Sarah Morland; Editing by Matthew Lewis)
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