Lupe Fiasco Removed From Stage After Anti-Obama Rant at Pre-Inaugural Concert

Lupe Fiasco stirred up some controversy Sunday night (Jan. 20) when he was removed from the stage by security after his anti-Obama rant at a pre-inaugural concert.

The Chicago rapper was the headliner at the StartUp RockOn event in Washington, D.C., in celebration of President Obama's upcoming inauguration. According to the Washington Post, during his set, Fiasco spent 30 minutes performing his anti-war song 'Words I Never Said' and telling the crowd he didn't vote for Obama, among other things. Organizers then cut off his mic, shut off the lights and guards escorted him off the stage.

We're still scratching our heads wondering why Fiasco was invited to perform before Obama's inauguration. In the past, the Grammy-nominated artist has been very vocal about his disdain for the president. In an interview with Complex last year, he described Obama as a child killer.

Hypervocal, which sponsored the event, released a statement saying that Fiasco wasn't kicked off stage for his anti-Obama rant.

We are staunch supporters of free speech, and free political speech. This was not about his opinions. Instead, after a bizarrely repetitive, jarring performance that left the crowd vocally dissatisfied, organizers decided to move on to the next act."

Reactions were mixed in the Twitter-verse. Some applauded Fiasco's courage, while others thought the rapper's actions were inappropriate. "[Lupe Fiasco's] protest tonight at #suro is what America is all about. We appreciate the brother expressing his opinion!" tweeted one concertgoer, while another wrote, "I'm a huge Lupe Fiasco fan but he needs to chill on this Obama mess. Let Obama get re-inaugurated and sell your album in other ways."

What do you think about Lupe Fiasco's tirade at the event? Tell us in the comments below.