I got ninety-nine problems but insurance ain’t one

Despite being two of the highest-grossing music genres in North America, hip-hop and rap artists still struggle to find small venues willing to host their shows. There are many theories as to why that’s the case. Some hosts say ‘no’ through fear of violence, others reject the messages relayed through hip-hop and rap lyrics, and many would love to get these artists ‘in da club’ but can’t because they struggle to find adequate and reasonably priced insurance coverage. “Hip-hop and rap concerts can be particularly challenging in the special events insurance space,” said DeWayne Parker, underwriter - commercial department at Anderson & Murison, Inc. “Unfortunately, there’s a cultural aura around the music itself that sometimes gives it a bit of a bad tag, which makes some insurance carriers reluctant to provide coverage. “The challenges don’t just exist with hip-hop and rap concerts; it’s rock and roll concerts as well. Any event where you’ve got the potential for crowd surfing, the possibility of injuries, and there’s alcohol involved – all kinds of things could go wrong with a concert like that.