Kanye West is supposed to be the headliner at Wireless 2026 – now London Mayor Sadiq Khan is also getting involved and distancing himself from the controversial booking.
Kanye West to headline Wireless 2026: This was announced on March 30th. The rapper, who performs under the stage name Ye, is scheduled to play the festival’s headline show at Finsbury Park all three nights.
The announcement was immediately met with strong criticism. Groups such as the Jewish Leadership Council and the Campaign Against Antisemitism called the planned appearance irresponsible.
Anti-Semitic statements
Ye is known for having repeatedly made anti-Semitic statements in recent years. In interviews he denied the Holocaust and described himself as a Nazi. In May 2025, he released a song called “Heil Hitler” and launched T-shirts with swastikas. However, all of this had relatively few consequences for the rapper. He only lost partnerships with brands like Adidas, Gap and Balenciaga. He was banned from entering Australia in July 2025. He was able to continue his music career despite the controversy.
Album “Bully” and public apology
His album “Bully” was released at the end of March 2026, the release of which had already been postponed several times. In advance, Kanye West had spoken out with an apology in January 2026: He published an open letter in “The Wall Street Journal” entitled “To those I’ve Hurt”, in which he apologized for his behavior and cited a car accident in 2002, an associated brain injury and his bipolar disorder as the causes.
Appropriately, the apology came shortly before the release of the new LP – and may have put it in a better light. This is probably a marketing measure. Apparently this was enough to establish the musician as a headliner at Wireless.
Mixed reactions from fans and politicians
The booking sparked mixed reactions. A wave of protests broke out on X. “If true, that’s really creepy. The guy is a disgusting anti-Semite and neo-Nazi who indulges in the worst kind of bigotry – the fact that a major festival is giving him a stage is terrible. Shame on you, Wireless. Fuck Kanye West,” one person commented.
Another person wrote: “Kanye West released a song called ‘Heil Hitler’ less than a year ago and is now set to headline Wireless for three nights? I’m not sure an apology is enough here! It’s hard to claim that “cancel culture” exists when that’s actually what’s happening. I suspect this will cause controversy.”
London Mayor Sadiq Khan also spoke up. In a press statement he wrote: “We are clear that this artist’s previous statements and actions are offensive, wrong and in no way reflect London’s values.” He added that the decision to book Kanye West as a headliner rested solely with the festival organizers and that City Hall and local London politicians distanced themselves from it.
Comeback after a long break
West last played a headline set at Wireless in 2014. In 2016 he largely withdrew from the festival and touring business. He had planned a big comeback for 2026. However, it is uncertain whether his performances will take place as planned: he was scheduled to perform at the Rubicon Hip Hop Festival in Slovakia in 2025, but his show was canceled due to protests.
