Drake Cancels All Meet & Greet Packages For Summer Sixteen Tour
Drake has canceled his “Meet & Greet” packages for the Summer Sixteen tour, and many are wondering if security concerns are the reason. A representative has stated that is simply not the case.
The package comes with the guarantee that buyers will be placed in the first five rows during the performance, receive a variety of merchandise, and get to meet Drake and have a photo taken with him. It goes without saying that getting such exposure exhausts artists, and this is why Drake has decided against the package.
Drake cancels all fan VIP packages ahead of summer sixteen tour kick-off, source says https://t.co/IIUnFEGUo6 pic.twitter.com/hILLIANgkv
— People (@people) June 22, 2016
It was reported by People magazine that Drake has canceled any personal interactions, more specifically the one-on-ones that fans were excited to participate in. The “One Dance” rapper is easily capable of producing sold out shows, which means that thousands of people are eager to come out and watch Drake live. On top of this, Drake would be meeting every fan that loves and wants to be up close and personal. This presents a multitude of feelings, along with energy that would be spent smiling and posing for the camera. Some would say that such a thing comes with the territory of being a celebrity, but artists have admitted that it takes a lot out of them.
It’s for this reason that Drake has decided not to take part in the meet and greet. It was reported by E! magazine that a source close to Drake’s situation cleared the air. A representative weighed in on the matter, stating that Drake wanted to give fans the best tour that he could.
“This has nothing to do with Drake being concerned about security or anything like that. The honest answer is that these meet and greets are tiring and stressful for artists. To do a full show every single night, then spend an hour and a half with very energetic people trying to touch you, talk to you, it’s tiring,” the rep stated.
The representative went on, further explaining the reasoning behind Drake’s decision.
“A lot of artists are doing this lately and frankly, it comes down to the money and wanting to put on a good show. In this case, Drake is selling out shows world-wide so it’s not like he needs the money from the VIP packs. He’d rather feel good during his tour so he can give the best show he can every night for his fans instead of stress and overwork or worry about how to make it through the whole tour.”
It makes sense, given the fact that other artists have expressed the same feeling in regards to personal meetings and various other activities that require time and effort. Us reported on Justin Bieber speaking out in March, feeling that trying to meet everyone’s expectations left him drained and unhappy. Drake appears to have a similar stance, but there is still talk that fans who purchased the meet and greet will receive proper refunds and compensation for the inconvenience. Future will be on tour with Drake, and it appears that he may still be taking part in the meet and greet portion of VIP packages.
When @drake canceling M&G's had nothing to do with safety reasons but really he just doesn't want to meet fans. https://t.co/qpH2beVLV1
— amaami?! (@juiicybo0ty) June 23, 2016
It was speculated that Drake’s choice to cancel the meet and greet was as a result of security concerns. The Voice contestant Christina Grimmie was shot at an Orlando venue appearance, pronounced dead later on. While this tragedy is still fresh in the mind of artist and fan alike, it was noted that such an incident played no part in Drake’s choice to cancel the meet and greet with fans.
How do you feel about Drake canceling the meet and greet with fans? Do you feel that artists are justified to do such a thing after the tickets have already been purchased? Let us know in the comment section.
[Photo By Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images]
