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Two sold-out concerts by American rapper Kanye West, now known as Ye, have been cancelled after weeks of uncertainty surrounding the planned performances in Russia.
Ye had been scheduled to perform at the Gazprom Arena in St Petersburg on October 10 and 11. However, Say Agency, the Moscow-based organiser behind the shows, announced on Thursday that the concerts would no longer take place.
In a statement shared on Telegram, the agency expressed regret over the cancellation and said ticket holders would be contacted with information about the next steps.
“Friends, it is with sincere regret that we inform you that the Ye concerts in St Petersburg on the scheduled dates will not be able to take place,” the agency said.
The organiser added that it would release an official statement on the status of the project and its future plans.
Ticket Holders To Receive Refunds
According to the organisers, people who purchased tickets will be able to request refunds from Monday, October 12.
Further details about the refund process are expected to be provided by Say Agency as it communicates with ticket holders.
The cancellation follows weeks of uncertainty over whether Ye would eventually perform at the venue.
The Gazprom Arena had initially promoted the rapper’s appearance on social media, describing him as “the most influential musical artist of our time.”
However, after the concerts reportedly sold out in August, the stadium said it had not reached an agreement with the concert promoters to rent the venue.
The arena subsequently clarified that it “was not and is not” responsible for the booking and acknowledged complaints concerning the proposed performances.
Officials Criticise Planned Shows
The planned concerts also attracted criticism from Russian officials.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova reportedly described the proposed performances as unacceptable, citing Ye’s alleged “glorification” of Adolf Hitler.
Russian politician Nikolay Novichkov also called for an investigation into the rapper over his previous praise of Hitler.
Novichkov argued that the concerts should not go ahead unless Ye publicly expressed “moral support for Russia and the special military operation”, the official Russian term used by Moscow for its war in Ukraine.
The controversy surrounding the proposed Russian performances came against the backdrop of the wider criticism Ye has faced over several public statements and actions.
Ye’s Controversial Statements
Last year, Ye began selling T-shirts featuring a swastika and released a song titled “Heil Hitler”.
In January, he published a full-page advertisement in The Wall Street Journal apologising for his conduct under the headline, “To Those I’ve Hurt.”
“I am not a Nazi or an antisemite. I love Jewish people,” he wrote.
Ye also attributed some of his behaviour to bipolar disorder, saying he had experienced “a four-month-long, manic episode of psychotic, paranoid and impulsive behaviour that destroyed my life”.
His planned Russian shows would have added to a list of international performances involving artists who have appeared in the country despite sanctions and cultural boycotts following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Other Concert Plans Hit By Controversy
Ye has faced difficulties with other planned performances in recent years.
His planned performance in France in April was postponed after he was denied a UK visa. The development also affected his scheduled headline appearances at London’s Wireless festival following backlash over his antisemitic remarks.
He was later expected to headline the Pulse of Gaia festival at the RCF Arena in Reggio Emilia, Italy, in July. However, local authorities halted the planned performance after concerns were raised by the local Jewish community.
Despite the controversies surrounding him, Ye has continued to attract audiences at performances that have gone ahead.
He staged his first major United States concert in more than five years in Los Angeles in April and subsequently performed in Turkey, the Netherlands, Georgia, Albania, Portugal and Kazakhstan.
Further performances have been planned in the US and Indonesia as part of activities surrounding his 12th solo album, Bully, which was released in March.
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