Hulvey Cancels Sold-Out Show over Graphic Images: 'I Stand for Jesus Only'

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Christian hip-hop artist Hulvey canceled a sold-out show in Amsterdam Friday after he and fans discovered graphic sexual images on the venue’s walls — a decision he says has opened doors for gospel conversations across the city.

The four-time Dove Award winner was on the second leg of his "Could Be Tonight" European tour, with stops in Paris, London and the Netherlands, when he learned about the images shortly before taking the stage.

“I was an hour from going on stage,” he said, describing a venue that has “extremely, extremely graphic images” on the walls —“to the point that I cannot say what they were.”

The show apparently had been moved to a larger venue after ticket demand exceeded expectations at the original location. Hulvey, however, said he was unaware of the graphic images until shortly before the performance.

The show is being rescheduled.

“One fan said … ‘My sister's in the line out there. I don't want her to see this.’ I was meeting seven-year-old fans at the meet-and-greet, and there were tons of kids outside. I am not okay with people seeing what were on those walls —and the type of things that they could be exposed to at a Hulvey concert would not be okay to me,” he said in a video recorded Friday night.

“So, I made the hard decision to cancel tonight in Amsterdam, and we are working to reschedule immediately. And I'm so sorry to the fans. The way that y'all just made me feel so comforted for making this decision means a lot. But there's One that I answer to, and that's Jesus. I answer to God, and I have to do what He convicts me to do, and I have to make sure that I take care of the little ones, and so we are rescheduling.”

Just one week earlier, Hulvey won Rap/Hip Hop Album of the Year at the Dove Awards for "Could Be Tonight."

“They did not disclose that this was in this venue to us,” he said. “... We asked the venue if they could cover … these graphic images, [but] they would not cover the walls. They only would cover one side of the bar, but not the walls. And so, [that’s] not gonna fly with me.”

A video circulating on social media showed Hulvey, standing outside the venue, explaining the situation to fans. He was met with applause. 

“I respect God's creation way too much to make people walk in there and have to see sexual images on a wall. I stand for Jesus only,” he said to a chorus of amens.

In a second video, Hulvey said his brother, who lives in Amsterdam, helped him see how the decision could help build the faith of Christians across the Netherlands.

“He was reminding me that this was an encouragement to the body of Christ in Amsterdam and in the Netherlands, and that's far beyond what I pictured. [I was] just trying to be obedient, me and my family just trying to do the right thing,” he said.

“... I hope that this can just be an encouragement that our decisions go way further than what we think. And so, God can use that little seed and make it something beautiful. And to my family in Amsterdam —please, please, please take this and run with it. Bring people to Christ. Show them who Jesus is. Walk people into the kingdom. Show them who Jesus is. Take it and run with it.”

Photo Credit: ©Instagram.com/Hulvey

Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel. 

Listen to Michael's Podcast! He is the host of Crosswalk Talk, a podcast where he talks with Christian movie stars, musicians, directors, and more. Hear how famous Christian figures keep their faith a priority in Hollywood and discover the best Christian movies, books, television, and other entertainment. You can find Crosswalk Talk on LifeAudio.com, or subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an interview that will be sure to encourage your faith.