What do Toby Keith and Nelly have in common? Well, they’re both American musicians. They both experienced a surge in popularity in the early aughts. And soon, they will both hold the distinct honor of playing an all-male concert in Saudi Arabia.
The BBC reports that Nelly will be in Jeddah with Algerian singer Cheb Khaled on December 14. Keith, you may remember, played his show in May during President Trump’s visit to the kingdom. (He was accompanied by an Arabian lutist.)
نجم الراب العالمي نيلي وملك الرآي الشاب خالد في مدينة الملك عبد الله الاقتصادية في 14 ديسمبرإحجز تذكرتك الآن عبر
MBC Action (@mbcaction) November 17, 2017
The news of Nelly’s upcoming show is being met with mixed reactions in Saudi Arabia. The Associated Press reports that some have taken issue with that fact that he pleaded guilty for marijuana possession in 2015. (He was also arrested following a rape accusation earlier this year, but never charged.) Others have taken to his Instagram comments to express that it’s unfair for the concert to be limited to only male audiences. And others still would prefer to see Ariana Grande.