Fans of experimental hip-hip duo Death Grips got shafted when the band “chose not to appear at Lollapalooza 2013,” according to the festival’s Facebook page). That message wasn’t relayed to the hundreds who turned up to the band’s sold-out aftershow performance at the Bottom Lounge Friday (August 2) until the room was packed and the opening act had already played. Once receiving the news, fans responded by trashing the band’s gear on the stage.
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Before it was announced that the band was a no show, the venue played recordings of Death Grips music on an empty stage that featured a Gmail screenshot of an eerie suicide note, which was allegedly written by a Death Grips fan. The note read:
SUBJECT: ready DATE: July 9
I am ready to take my own life. Many bad experiences led me to this dark void that I am locked in. Maybe by my own hands? I don’t really care anymore. I just wanted to say thank you for showing me the other side. the side that is locked away deep inside a person. I am mad. Mad all the time and depressed all the time. I can’t take it. I’m not afraid of dying but i am afraid that I can’t hear DG in the after life if there is such a thing. I don’t know, but I hope your music transcends to the unknown. A place where DG’s essence exists. A place where art exists. I love art. That’s the one thing that kept me alive? this long. So just to ease minds, DG didn’t “influence” me to do this. this is my own fucking choice. but thanks for making my life a little better. you’re my absolute fave and I will fight the gods if they don’t allow me to follow DG’s efforts can’t see Earth. Anyways, continue doing great things.
I love you Stefan, Zach, and Andy. I will be watching.
-AJJ
Death Grips were scheduled to perform at the Lollapalooza festival Saturday at 8:45, but have now been replaced by Shaun White’s band Bad Things.