Kanye West, 49, and his wife Bianca Censori, 31, celebrated his birthday with a gathering of friends at the Palace of Versailles in France. Photos shared on West's Instagram Stories depicted the couple in striking attire, including Censori in a corset and feathered mask, posing within the opulent, gold-decorated setting of the palace's hotel, Airelles Château de Versailles, Le Grand Contrôle.
TMZ reported that the celebration cost nearly $400,000. West's birthday is June 8, and the timing of this celebration follows recent controversies surrounding his performances in Florida. Senator Rick Scott launched a petition to cancel West's concerts in Tampa, citing the rapper's history of antisemitic statements, including praise for Adolf Hitler and selling swastika merchandise.
"Kanye West is an admitted and prolific antisemite who has slandered Jews, praised Adolf Hitler, called himself a Nazi and sold swastika merchandise on his website — among his numerous other antisemitic remarks and actions," Scott stated, according to The Hollywood Reporter. "Florida — and especially the Tampa Bay area — has a large Jewish population. Forcing them to support these concerts through their tax dollars is a complete slap in the face to the Jews in Florida and across the country and world."
Despite the petition, West's concerts in Tampa proceeded on June 26, with a second show scheduled for June 28. West's recent performances have met with mixed success globally, with several concerts canceled or postponed.
International Concerts and Controversies
Previously, a planned concert at St. Jakob-Park in Switzerland for June was canceled months in advance. European countries have also postponed or stopped West's performances. In May, Italian officials canceled a July show at RFC Arena in Reggio Emilia due to security concerns and complaints from the Jewish community. In April, West's visa was revoked, leading to the cancellation of his scheduled performance at the Wireless Festival in London.
An office statement from London Mayor Sadiq Khan's office told Rolling Stone, "We are clear that the past comments and actions of this artist are offensive and wrong, and not reflective of London’s values."
A show slated for June 19 in Poland at the Slaski stadium was also canceled, and West himself canceled a concert in Marseille, France, after anticipating issues with local authorities.
Efforts Toward Reconciliation
West has made efforts to address his past comments. In January, he issued an apology for his praise of Adolf Hitler and other remarks condemned by the ADL. In an advertisement published in The Wall Street Journal, titled "Those I Hurt," West stated he had "lost touch with reality," attributing some lapses to injuries from a 2002 car accident. He declared, "I am not a Nazi or an antisemite. I love Jewish people."
Despite these efforts, his comeback concerts have faced significant hurdles, with some events proceeding while others have been thwarted due to the ongoing controversy surrounding his past statements. West's appearances have included performances at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and Gelredome stadium in the Netherlands, but his slate of shows has been met with varying degrees of success and opposition.
