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Kanye: Stand unless you're in wheelchair
01:04 - Source: HLN

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Kanye West has been criticized for insisting the audience stand up during a concert

The rapper was in Australia when he made the demand

He held up the show until he'd confirmed that everyone who could was standing

CNN  — 

Kanye West has high expectations from his fans at concerts. And if you can’t meet them, he’s going to need to know why.

While performing in Sydney on Friday, West paused his performance to request that all audience members stand before he went on with the show. It’s not unusual for an artist to ask the audience to physically participate, but West’s insistence at his concert Friday led to a very uncomfortable moment.

“I’ve decided, I can’t do this song, I can’t do the rest of this show until everybody stands up,” West said, adding an exception for those with handicaps. “No, seriously – I won’t go on with the show unless y’all stand up.”

As video from the concert shows, West really wasn’t kidding, as he took several moments to scan the audience for anyone sitting down.

When he spotted two people who still weren’t standing, West initially griped, “This was the longest I’ve had to wait to do a song. It’s unbelievable.”

According to The Hollywood Reporter, one of those individuals had a prosthetic limb, and another was in a wheelchair.

After sending someone over to investigate why the two concertgoers weren’t standing, West quickly clarified that “if you’re using a wheelchair, then it’s fine. … Only if he’s in a wheelchair.”

Once he’d confirmed that those not standing really couldn’t, West continued with his show.

The stunt was met with an immediate backlash on Twitter. According to the Daily Mail, it wasn’t the first time West has been criticized for making that kind of demand.

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