A stadium in St. Petersburg has abruptly canceled scheduled performances by the artist formerly known as Kanye West, who now goes by Ye. The concerts, slated for October 10 and 11, would have marked the first performances in Russia by a major Western artist since the start of the Ukraine war in 2022.
Gazprom Arena announced the cancellation via Instagram, stating that complaints had been made regarding the event's organization. However, the venue clarified that no contract was ever signed for the arena's rental, asserting that "Gazprom Arena was not and is not the organizer of this event."
The rapper has faced significant criticism in recent years for antisemitic remarks, including the release of a song titled "Heil Hitler" and the sale of merchandise featuring a swastika. While Ye has since apologized for these actions and stated he is working to rehabilitate his image, backlash has persisted.
One Russian politician, Vitaly Milonov, condemned Ye's behavior, referring to his "disgusting antics" and suggesting the artist should perform traditional Russian songs instead of his own material. Milonov also expressed hope that such a change would lead Ye to "become a normal person."
Say Agency, a Moscow-based concert promoter responsible for organizing the performance, urged fans to disregard unverified reports, insisting that the concerts would proceed as planned. In a Telegram post, the agency stated they learned of the cancellation announcement through media reports and were attempting to contact the venue to resolve the issue. Later, Say Agency posted on Instagram that preparations were continuing and the dates remained listed on the artist's official website, promising further details.
In January, Ye issued another apology for his antisemitic statements, attributing his past behavior to a loss of touch with reality due to bipolar disorder. He detailed this in a full-page advertisement published in The Wall Street Journal.