Hip-hop group Gym Class Heroes’ performance at the State Fair of Texas was cut short by organizers Saturday night during the final weekend of the fair. Fans online speculated the show was cut short because of a change to a lyric during the performance of “Billionaire,” frontman Travie McCoy’s hit 2010 collaboration with Bruno Mars.
The fair told The Dallas Morning News in a statement on Monday the reason was the band’s use of profanity onstage “was inconsistent with the family-friendly standards required under its performance agreement.” The fair said the band was asked to stop using profanity, but continued doing so. At that point, fair leadership decided to end the show early.
“To be clear, the decision was based on the profanity used during the performance, not the artist’s political commentary,” the fair added. “We welcome a diversity of perspectives, but we remain committed to maintaining a family-friendly environment.”
Representatives for Gym Class Heroes declined to comment.
A lyric in “Billionaire” says “I be playing basketball with the president / Dunking on his delegates,” but social media videos showed McCoy said Saturday “I be playing — No, impeach the f—ing president,” seemingly in reference to President Donald Trump.
Gym Class Heroes were performing on the Main Stage as one of the final acts of a 2026 lineup that included Denton rock band Bowling for Soup, rock band Kansas and country singer Tyler Nance, among others. The stage was moved indoors to the Fair Park Coliseum in 2026 after being outdoors in past editions. All Main Stage shows were included with admission to the fair and required no additional tickets.
“These performances are part of the broader State Fair experience, which welcomes guests of all ages,” the fair said in the statement. “Our responsibility is to ensure that the entertainment we provide upholds the family-friendly experience we promise our guests.”
Gym Class Heroes are best known for their 2011 hit “Stereo Hearts” featuring Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine. The group recently released “Universal Language,” a single that marked its first new music in 15 years. The band is at the tail end of the Back to Basics Tour alongside rapper Lupe Fiasco.