The St. Louis rapper Sexyy Red, one of our favorite new artists of 2023, has had a tremendous come up in a short period of time. In just over a year, Sexyy Red has landed a handful of big hits, released two albums, collaborated with Drake multiple times, and launched a lip gloss line with funny product names. But it might’ve been a little ambitious for such a new artist, especially one without any real live-performer reputation, to launch an arena tour at this point in her career.

A few months ago, Sexyy Red announced plans for her Sexyy Red For President fall tour, with fellow young rappers Hunxho, Loe Shimmy, and BlakeIANA along as openers. That run was supposed to kick off at Seattle’s 9,000-capacity WAMU Theater tonight, but Billboard reports that the show has been canceled without explanation. Planned dates in Portland and Oakland have also been removed from the itinerary. (One might speculate that a Drake association doesn’t endear anyone to West Coast audiences these days.) Also, Sexyy will not join Moneybagg Yo for their previously-announced 9/30 joint show in Bagg’s Memphis hometown.

Earlier this summer, Sexyy Red responded to reports of slow ticket sales by tweeting, “My fans are buying tickets we’re doin just fine we not cancelling no tour dis cancelling sht all cap.” Soon afterward, she said that bigger promoters were trying to sabotage her tour: “Dis how Dey try to do u wen u go wit an independent promoter n the bigger companies try to sabotage u we not cancelling sht.” Thus far, there’s been no official statement on the canceled shows. The tour is now slated to begin Saturday at Atlanta’s State Farm Arena.

My fans are buying tickets we’re doin just fine we not cancelling no tour dis cancelling sht all cap https://t.co/HZBxCEAYM9

— Sexyy Red (@SexyyRed314_) July 8, 2024

Dis how Dey try to do u wen u go wit an independent promoter n the bigger companies try to sabotage u we not cancelling sht

— Sexyy Red (@SexyyRed314_) July 8, 2024

The arena-level live-music landscape has been perilous this year, with artists like Jennifer Lopez and the Black Keys cancelling big tours; Zach Schonfeld went deep on the phenomenon in a great Stereogum piece earlier this summer. At the moment, smaller acts like Helmet and the Armed are also being forced to shut down touring plans for financial reasons, but this Sexyy Red situation doesn’t feel like it has much to do with all that.