SeaWorld’s 2026 Hip-Hop Lineup Is Really Going To Piss Off PETA

Soulja Boy and Bow Wow are set to return to SeaWorld stages in 2026 despite facing intense pressure from animal rights activists who have specifically targeted Hip-Hop artists performing at the marine park chain.

SeaWorld announced its coast-to-coast live music series for 2026 on Tuesday, featuring more than 30 full-length concerts across three parks in Orlando, San Diego, and San Antonio.

The lineup includes several prominent rappers, with Soulja Boy scheduled to perform at multiple locations and Bow Wow scheduled to appear at SeaWorld San Diego on June 20.

The announcement comes just months after PETA organized protests against both rappers during their July 2025 performance at SeaWorld San Diego.

Activists held signs reading “Soulja Boy: YOUUUUUUUU Should Boycott SeaWorld” and “Bow Wow: Don’t Support SeaWorld’s Cruelty” outside the park, calling attention to what they describe as animal abuse at the facility.

PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman said the organization specifically targets entertainers who perform at SeaWorld because they help promote what activists call an “abusement park.”

The group claims dolphins and whales at SeaWorld facilities are denied everything natural to them and are subjected to forced breeding programs.

“SeaWorld drags dolphins out of the water and forcibly inseminates them, all so the next generation can be forced to perform degrading tricks and die early,” Reiman said in a statement during the 2025 protests. “PETA is urging Soulja Boy and Bow Wow to face the music and stop promoting this cruel marine prison.”

The 2026 lineup also features Flo Rida, who will kick off the Orlando series on January 31, and the Ying Yang Twins, who are scheduled for multiple performances across different parks.

Other Hip-Hop acts include Paul Wall, Baby Bash, and E-40, marking one of SeaWorld’s most rap-heavy concert seasons in recent years.

PETA’s campaign against Hip-Hop artists performing at SeaWorld has intensified over the past year.

In August 2025, Miami rapper Trina revealed that PETA sent her team “aggressive” messages attempting to convince her to cancel her SeaWorld San Diego performance.

“We love you as an artist, we respect you, but you can’t perform,” Trina recalled PETA telling her during a recent interview.

She described the organization’s outreach as pushy and said they contacted her months before the scheduled show to pressure her into backing out.

Despite the pressure, Trina went ahead with her performance, joining a growing list of Hip-Hop artists who have chosen to honor their SeaWorld contracts despite activist opposition. The rapper said she ultimately decided to perform because she had already committed to the show and didn’t want to disappoint fans.

PETA has not yet announced specific protest plans for the 2026 concert series, but its recent history suggests it will continue to target Hip-Hop artists who agree to perform at SeaWorld facilities.

The 2026 concert series will run from late January through late summer, with Annual Pass holders receiving access to all performances throughout the season across multiple parks and events.

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