According to a spokesperson for promoter KS Production Company, Sun Yun, China's Cultural Ministry had taken the decision of canceling the rapper's concert because his songs "contain too much vulgar language".

The state-run newspaper China Daily stated: "The Ministry of Culture has decided to protect the city's hip-hop fans from nasty lyrics about pimps, guns and drugs."

Jay-Z, real name Shawn Corey Carter, is on tour, presently in South Africa. He responded with a statement on the Durban stage in South Africa saying:

"I look forward to rescheduling my concert date in Shanghai. This world tour has been a life changing experience and it has only been made better by touching the fans that I am seeing for the first time.”

This isn't the first time that Chinese authorities have censored a Western pop performance. In April, the Rolling Stones were allowed to perform in Shanghai but only after government officials had approved which songs they could perform.