Earlier this week rapper T-Pain posted an expletive-laced rant on TikTok after noticing ticket sales for his upcoming Dallas concert date were less than what he'd hoped for.
“Dallas, what are you doing? ... I wore cowboy hats many times. I used to raise horses. I feel like I’m part of the city, you know? I’ve worn a cowboy hat or two, you know what I’m sayin’? Both regular cowboy and Dallas Cowboys, I’ve done both! WTF!”
Now, the entertainer is now asking followers if the lagging sales are due to the venue selection and if he should consider moving the show.
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"Aight. So what I’m gathering from all the responses, is the spot they chose to put me in for my tour date in Dallas doesn’t have a super dope reputation, is that correct? Do I need to make them move the show to a different spot/city?" the rapper tweeted Tuesday afternoon.
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson responded to T-Pain's tweet saying the concert didn't need to be moved out of the city and concert-goers should feel safe going to a show in the city.
Johnson even tagged Chief of Police Eddie Garcia in his reply and said he was available should the performer have any questions.
The response from other Twitter users was mixed, some saying the concert should move away from the venue but stay in the city after recent reports of shootings and other illegal activity in Deep Ellum. Read the tweet thread here.
Longtime fan Lindsey Williams tweeted at the star, saying “please still come. Don’t change the city. If you change the venue, ok.”
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She’s been waiting years to see T-Pain in concert but doesn’t feel safe at night in Deep Ellum, even for a concert scheduled on a Wednesday night.
She’s more of a homebody anyway.
“I’ve gone [to Deep Ellum] a couple times just to go out there for pizza,” she said. “But, I’m not hanging out there often. And then, of course, hearing about everything that’s going on the last couple months, I’m definitely only trying to go during the day.”
Although Dallas police say overall crime in Deep Ellum is down 1.5 percent, many fans have expressed concerns following several shootings including one ten days ago where two people were shot.
Police later identified and arrested the suspect allegedly caught on surveillance video.
“For me personally, I don’t mind going to Deep Ellum, but I know a lot of people do,” said longtime fan Asa Domolky. “Dallas is a great place for music. There’s lots of venues. I’ve seen Toyota Music Factory thrown around a lot, Texas Live. For me personally, House of Blues is a great venue.”
Domolky says he bought tickets and will go to whichever venue is chosen.
“I saw him at The Masquerade in Atlanta, and it was a great show. He’s just a phenomenal performer,” said Domolky. “You can tell he loves it. He loves what he does.”
DPD started implementing a program this month that is typically reserved for busy summer weekends, closing Deep Ellum streets to vehicle traffic in an effort to better protect pedestrians.
If the May 18th show does go on at The Factory, DPD says concert goers can expect to see the department’s sky tower at Main and Malcom X and two camera trailers along Elm at Malcom X and Crowdus.
A spokesperson for The Factory said in a statement provided to NBC 5 on Wednesday that ticket sales for T-Pain's show have spiked since his TikTok post and that they're looking forward to hosting him next month.
“Deep Ellum has been the center of the Dallas music scene for many years and continues to draw huge crowds on any given day,” states Eric Bradford, COO of The Factory. “We have already seen a spike in ticket sales sine T-Pain's TikTok video went viral and our venue is two to three times larger than the majority of other venues on his tour. We are thrilled to have him in at The Factory in Deep Ellum and will do everything in our power to ensure a safe and successful concert.”
The mayor tweeted a final time telling the rapper he saw him perform at the AAC "back in the day" and that he was glad he was headed back to Dallas.
Johnson did not mention if he planned to attend T-Pain's May 18th show at The Factory.
