Rochester, NY-based promoter Ed Strickland and his company RMF Productions have filed a $1.3 million suit against Lil Wayne for failing to perform at the city’s Blue Cross Arena on three separate occasions. The suit, filed in New York City Superior Court, alleges that Strickland paid a $100,000 advance prior to the first cancelled event.

The rapper’s problems began when he skipped out on an October performance, citing an unsatisfactory sound system at the arena, according to reports. The show was rescheduled for December 6, but was again axed by Lil Wayne and rescheduled once more for January 21.

However, when “band logistics” prevented the performing from taking the stage in Rochester, NY, while also honoring his next-day engagement in Alberta, Canada, the gig was cancelled for the third time.

“I could not believe it,” Strickland said in a statement. “We worked so hard to build credibility for the show. I was just blindsided. All indicators led me to believe everything was a green light.”


Lil Wayne has not made any statements about the repeated cancellations. However, his manager Cortex Bryant told AllHipHop.com, “Now that Wayne’s doing these bigger shows, he wants to make sure that all of his fans are getting the same experience…. We didn’t want the Rochester fans to get any less of a show because of logistics. We wanted to deliver the same caliber show we’ve delivered along the tour.”

Published reports stated that the Rochester show would be rescheduled again for the upcoming third leg of Lil Wayne’s I Am Music Tour, but it could be difficult to promote the artist in the city given his track record there.

In light of the recent lawsuit, an editorial in the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle pointed to the cancellations as a sign of the irresponsibility of an artist who promotes “drugs, vulgarity and the degradation of women.”

“Lil Wayne’s fans now may be starting to open their eyes to see just how irresponsible he is,” noted the publication’s editorial board, adding, “And just maybe the experience will help them see more clearly the toxicity of his music.”