According to Al-Monitor, Kevin Hart has had his Cairo comedy performance scheduled for February 21 canceled under the guise of “local logistical issues,” However, speculations about the real reason that Hart was dropped have been publicized. Many believe it’s because of a controversial statement that he made in the past saying Egyptians were Black. 

R Productions released an announcement on their Facebook on February 20 stating that Hart’s performance would be canceled and that refunds would be issued for all those who purchased tickets. The company wrote, “It is with a heavy heart that we share with you, due to local logistical issues, the cancellation of our Kevin Hart event scheduled for February 21st in Cairo. You have always shown us continuous support at all our events and for that, we’re grateful. In the meantime, we are asking for your patience as we work with the TicketsMarché team to make sure that all the refunds are met in the shortest time possible.”

“It is our dream to create the best experiences for all of our clients and ensure that Egypt is placed on the international map at the highest possible standards. We will continue to work towards that dream every day. Again, thank you for your continuous support and understanding.”

Controversy in Egypt arose around the comedian after he commented on “Black Africans” previously being kings in the country. Hart allegedly said, “We must teach our children the true history of black Africans when they were kings in Egypt and not just the era of slavery that is cemented by education in America. Do you remember the time when we were kings?”

Although it hasn’t been confirmed that the comedian said it, Egyptians on Twitter threw racist coded backlash at him for the comment under the hashtag “CancelKevinHart” leading up to his Cairo performance.