A New York City concert featuring ’90s pop band Hanson and hip-hop heavyweight Drake was cancelled by Big Apple cops Tuesday after the heaving crowd swelled to 15,000, sparking riot fears. The Toronto rapper was scheduled to headline Paper Magazine’s free “Sounds Like Paper” Concert Series at the South Street Seaport in Manhattan, supported by Ninkasonik and the “Um Bop” hitmakers.

But the New York Police Department quickly pulled the plug on the show after anxious audience members began pushing and shoving to get closer to the stage.

“It’s cancelled. Riot police shut it down,” police sources told WENN Tuesday evening.

“I am humbled by the crowd that showed up in support of my performance and the release of Thank Me Later,” Drake told AllHipHop.com in an exclusive statement. “I love performing for my fans but unfortunately the show was canceled by the NYPD due to over crowding, leaving me without the chance to give my fans a real show.”

The gig was expected to mark the release of Drake’s highly-anticipated debut album, Thank Me Later, which hit retailers on Tuesday.