There are questions tonight about another artist coming to Ottawa on the heels of sexual assault allegations.
Rap superstar Nelly is playing at Algonquin at the end of March in a concert presented by the Algonquin Students' Association.
Nelly hasn't been charged with anything but there are multiple allegations against him in both the U.S. and the U.K.
And that has some here in Ottawa questioning his appearance at a student-run concert.
The signs are up at the Algonquin Commons Theatre and the tickets are selling fast for Nelly's appearance March 26th.
“I like Nelly's music,” says student Charly Schmucker, “he's a good artist.”
“It would be interesting to see him,” adds student Adam Starkey, “he's a great artist on the scene but with those allegations right now, I mean."
Nelly’s appearance in Ottawa comes amidst allegations of sexual assault. He was arrested briefly late last year after a woman claimed he had raped her on his tour bus.
"I asure you I will be vindicated" Nelly tweeted shortly after being released, saying he's pursuing legal options. Now more allegations have surfaced - including one during a concert in Essex, England.
Mike Glustien is a former musician and Algonquin grad. He also works as an assistant Creative Director for Bell Media and posted a story about the Nelly allegations on Algonquin Students’ Association Facebook site.
“I was just asking a question why the Nelly show was still going to happen,” he says. Hours later, his post was still “pending,” under review by whoever administers the account.
“I think they need to admit they are discussing it,” Glustien says of the Students’ Association, “they need to be open and say they are aware of the allegations and they are having an investigation internally, that they are not clueless to what's going on.”
Glustien’s colleague at Bell Media says his comment on that same site was deleted entirely.
“What that says is that they're aware this is a controversy,” says Dan Sylvester, a creative coordinator at Bell Media, “and in my opinion, they don't want an open conversation about this.”
CTV Ottawa did reach out to Algonquin’s Students’ Association, the group that is presenting the rap superstar here. No one was available to comment.
The booking agent bringing Nelly here stresses that Nelly has never been charged with anything.
"I get approval that these artists are clean to come into Canada with no criminal record,” Brandon Bird, with the Diamond Mine Agency said in a phone interview, “I would never book an artist that would be a liability for me or for concert goers."
Bird says clearly there is interest in seeing Nelly; the concert is nearly sold out with just 75 tickets left with about 700 already sold.
