Over the years, fans throwing objects at rappers during live performances has grown increasingly common. From phones, bottles and sneakers, artists are dodging more than just critical reviews or negative attention online.
Take Drake’s “It’s All A Blur Tour,” during which the spectrum of thrown objects included everything from cell phones to oversized bras. While most of the incidents were humorous and often well-received, other artists tend to have sour experiences that lead to brief pauses — or, on rare occasions, ending their concerts abruptly.
Even acts outside of Hip Hop aren’t safe. In 2023, Ari Lennox, an opening act for Rod Wave’s “Nostalgia Tour,” went on a minutes-long tirade after an attendee threw a water bottle at her. Her encounter gave her the strength to speak out about how women are constantly disrespected while on the road with their male counterparts. Lennox looked back on the incident when supporting Flo Milli, another victim of objects flung at them onstage.
Below, Rap-Up takes a detailed look at rappers who’ve had things thrown at them while performing.
1. Drake
#drake out here in #LA wildin tonight 😭😭 #concert #losangeles #viralpost #trendingpost #explorepage✨ #fypppppppppppppppp #foryou #fyppppppppp #hiphopmusic #fyp #rapmusic #itsallablurtour #21savage #drizzy #hollywood
Drake’s “It’s All A Blur Tour” with 21 Savage included many highlights, including the Canadian rapper bringing out big names like LeBron James, Meek Mill, Big Sean and Lil Baby. However, fans throwing their bras on stage was undoubtedly one of the more playful concert traditions throughout the trek.
The trend started with the opening stop in Chicago, Illinois and continued throughout the first leg. Drake even asked fans to keep things family-friendly the night his son attended a show. In one instance, a concertgoer named Veronica Correia ended up landing a deal with Playboy after she threw her 36G cup bra during one of the tour’s sold-out gigs at the Barclays Center.
At the end of his arena run, the rapper posted a photo of himself on Instagram surrounded by the hundreds of bras he received from fans throughout the tour. “Mans got more bras than Victoria’s Secret,” joked one fan.
2. Latto
#lotto going in on a #fan throw it again #ibeatyoass #biglotto
At 2023’s Rolling Loud in Germany, Latto encountered an unforeseen disruption when a festival attendee threw an object on stage during her “Put It On Da Floor” performance. Without missing a beat, the Atlanta-based rapper fired back with a stern warning: “You want your a** beat? Throw it again.” Captured in a viral video, Big Latto transformed a possible concert blunder into an act of authoritative crowd handling.
Although the award-winning artist was well-received by fans abroad — like in the memorable interaction at Open’er Festival in Poland where she signed a fan’s butt — an incident occurred at Rolling Loud Miami weeks later where someone reportedly threw their phone at her.
3. Sexyy Red
Anybody else was there? She gotta realize that’s what happens at these festivals, but shes learning lol #summersmash2023 #lyricallemonade #chicago #seatgeekstadium #colebennett #sexyyred
Lyrical Lemonade’s Summer Smash has exciting lineups year after year. However, the audience for 2023’s festival wasn’t rocking with rising star Sexyy Red, as some attendees began throwing objects at her. Annoyed, the Saint Louis rapper bluntly warned her audience: “Y’all better not hit me with s**t.” Shortly after — as “SkeeYee” played — the situation worsened, leading her to stop the show completely.
The incident occurred only months after her breakthrough track “Pound Town” went viral. Nonetheless, by the year’s end, Sexyy Red embarked on her first-ever headlining trek, the “Hood Hottest Princess Tour.”
4. Lil Nas X
ORIGINAL VIDEO! Someone threw something at @lil nas x show at @lollapaloozase tonight 💥💥💥 #lilnasx #epic #show #festival #lollapalooza #stockholm #gärdet #sweden #tiktoker #foryou #viral #fürdich #lollapalooza
At Lollapalooza Stockholm in July 2023, Lil Nas X turned an otherwise bizarre fan interaction into a headline-worthy moment. Midway through his energetic rendition of “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name),” a sex toy sailed onto the stage. Cool as ever, the Georgia-born rapper picked up the item, flashed a grin and joked to the roaring crowd, “Who threw their p**sy onstage?”
The episode quickly gained traction online, leading him to humorously update his Twitter handle to “p**sy” the following day. Seeing the good in any situation couldn’t be any more typical of the “Old Town Road” star.
5. Nicki Minaj
Who else would have been scared to get on stage after that. Nicki is so nice #gagcity #gagcitydetroit #fyp #nickiminaj #trending #barbs
At Nicki Minaj’s “Pink Friday 2 World Tour” Detroit concert, a rogue bracelet didn’t stand a chance against her quick reflexes. During her performance of “Starships” at Little Caesars Arena, the object came flying toward the stage. The Trinidadian rap star swiftly batted it away, then scooped it up and flung it back into the crowd with all the force of a closing number.
Reflecting on the night, Minaj turned to Twitter, not to dwell on the disruption, but to celebrate the crowd’s spirit: “#GagCityDetroit, what was your fave part of the show last night? Your energy was so beautiful.” There were also other highlights throughout the show, including a surprise appearance from Big Sean.
6. J. Cole
Yikes! Here’s what not to do at a #JCole concert 😭 #demotapes
In early 2024, J. Cole co-headlined Drake’s “It’s All a Blur Tour — Big As The What?” Considering that their combined discographies make up over a few dozen hits, crazy incidents were to be expected. During their stop in Nashville, Tennessee, a concertgoer’s demo CD flew onto the stage and shattered its case. In response, J. Cole addressed the situation with a bit of humor: “N**ga threw his demo up here. It’s 2024, n**ga. USB is okay.”
The rapper then nonchalantly kicked the broken case aside and continued with his set, leading into “A Tale Of 2 Citiez” from 2014 Forest Hills Drive. Interestingly, the occurrence mirrored a moment from his early career when he tried to hand JAY-Z a demo CD hoping to contribute to 2007’s American Gangster. It adds a layer of irony to the North Carolina native’s reaction.
7. Offset
A fan threw their bra on stage during Offset’s concert and it got caught on his microphone. 😂
In promotion of his solo sophomore album SET IT OFF, Offset hit the road for the “Set It Off Tour.” Mid-performance of “ZEZE” in Detroit, a fan’s bra landed precisely on his microphone — and his face. Humorously, the artist’s reaction was immediate: With a quick flick of disgust, the bra hit the stage floor and he was back to business. Considering his relationship with Cardi B, it was probably a good move on Offset’s end.
8. Cardi B
Fan Throws Drink At Cardi B And She Throws Microphone #cardib #offset #culturetiktok #concert #lasvegas #newyork #bronx #lovenhiphopnewyork
Arguably one of the biggest incidents of 2023 involving a concert attendee and artist, Cardi B’s performance in Las Vegas led to her being a suspect in a battery case. Luckily for the Bronx native, the charges were dropped.
The altercation happened at Drai’s Beachclub when Cardi B hurled a microphone at the offender who threw a drink at her. Funnily enough, the device was auctioned off on eBay for a whopping $99,900. The owner of the company that supplies audio equipment to local clubs confirmed that despite the “Bodak Yellow” rapper’s toss, it remained functional.
9. Kid Cudi
#KidCudi cut his #RollingLoudMiami set short after the crowd kept throwing objects at the stage ‼️ #rollingloud #kidcuditok #cudder #festival
In another incident at Rolling Loud Miami, Kid Cudi was forced to exit the festival after his warnings about the audience’s behavior were ignored. The disturbance occurred during his performance as a last-minute replacement for Kanye West. Early into the set, a water bottle struck the “Day ‘N’ Nite (nightmare)” rapper in the face.
Visibly upset, he stated, “Yo, I will walk off this stage if y’all throw one more f**king thing up here.” Despite the clear warning, another object was thrown almost immediately after. Staying true to his word, the hitmaker left the stage and cut his set short.
10. Flo Milli
Why ppl throw stuff on stage so much now? 😂 #flomilli #rap #viral #trending #foryou #rapper #blowthisup #blacktiktok #mistahardbody #fyp #tour #concert #rap #gunna
During the opening night of Gunna’s “The Bittersweet Tour” in Columbus, Ohio, Flo Milli abruptly left the stage after objects were thrown at her. The altercation occurred while she performed “Beef FloMix.”
The Alabama rapper voiced her frustration in fan-shot footage from the concert: “B**ch, when I f**kin’ catch you h**, I swear to f**kin’ God.” Gunna quickly showed support for his “Edible” collaborator on social media. He emphasized, “No disrespect in any form will be tolerated on tour. Family ties,” while mentioning Flo Milli. She responded appreciatively, posting, “My [motherf**kin’ brother].”
The “Never Lose Me” rapper later clarified the situation in a series of posts, suggesting the fans weren’t acting maliciously: “They weren’t throwing s**t outta spite! They wanted me to sign their stuff.” She humorously added, “But I’m from Mobile, [Alabama], so I take everything as a threat.”
11. GloRilla
#Glorilla looked like she was about to jump in the crowd 👀 Follow @CONCERTS by RapTV for more 🔥 Via: @Ana Banana ✨ #RapTV #Glorilla #glorillaconcert #concert
“You b**ches better not get me started,” GloRilla rapped on her smash hit, “Yeah Glo!” Those words rang true during a 2023 Denver show. The event’s energy took a tense turn when an audience member hurled a jacket that hit the Memphis rapper on the head.
GloRilla identified the culprit with “you with these red braids.” She later warned, “Look, lil girl, don’t throw s**t else at me. Don’t throw [nothing] else at me. That hit me in my face.” However, the disruption didn’t dampen the overall spirit of the evening, as evidenced by GloRilla’s subsequent Instagram post celebrating the crowd’s energy: “Y’all was lit [as f**k].”