When it comes to TikTok, fame can be a double-edged sword. On one hand, the wildly popular social media platform has proven to be a fertile ground for discovering new artists and introducing Gen Z to talent which translates into chart success. This doesn't come without its drawbacks, as Steve Lacy has come to find out on his latest tour.
Lacy, who you might have previously known as a member of The Internet, has emerged as one of the year's most talked about talents thanks in part to the viral success of his Gemini Rights single, "Bad Habit," on TikTok. The song recently netted the artist's first number one hit on the Hot 100, unseating Harry Styles' "As It Was," which previously held the top spot. All of this amounted to a sold-out tour schedule, but Lacy appears to have found out that playing to such a big audience can be frustrating, to say the least.
From clips of Lacy holding a microphone out to the audience only to be met with awkward silence once they reach the second verse to snapping at someone asking if he could say hi to their mother on video, it's grown abundantly clear that the disproportionate amount of people coming just to hear "Bad Habit" has been killing the vibe.
This all seemed to come to a head last night in New Orleans when someone in the crowd threw a disposable camera at Lacy, prompting him to stop the song and ask people to "not throw shit on my fucking stage." He then proceeded to ask for a camera from the fan in the front row, smashed it on stage and stormed off. The show ended early as a result.
\u201cthis is ridiculous shdjsjjsj\u201d— j a d a (@j a d a) 1665981675
\u201cSteve Lacy\u2019s concerts seem so entertaining \ud83d\ude2d\u201d— \ud80c\udc59 (@\ud80c\udc59) 1666706827
\u201cSteve Lacy throws a fan\u2019s phone on the ground after they threw something on stage at his concert.\u201d— Pop Crave (@Pop Crave) 1666705850
The move understandably left fans confused and upset, with some complaining that they shelled out hundreds of dollars for tickets only to have their night cut short by a rowdy fan. Others sympathized with the artist's frustrations.
\u201cSteve Lacy goes out there every night just to hear a thousand white kids sing to only 0.73% of his setlist I would have lost it too\u201d— isabeau @ CRACKFEST 10/12 (@isabeau @ CRACKFEST 10/12) 1666716504
Lacy addressed the incident on Instagram, saying that his "shows been fun as hell." He further goes on to say, "I don’t believe I owe anyone an apology- maybe I could've reacted better? Sure. Always. I’m a student of life. But I’m a real person with real feelings and real reactions. I’m not a product or a robot. I am human. I will continue to give my all at these shows. Please come with respect for urself and others please thank you love u."
Check out Lacy's full statement on the incident, below.
Photo courtesy of Scott Dudelson/Getty
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