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It is increasingly uncertain whether Kanye West will be on stage in France this summer. Authorities signal his planned appearance could be blocked – in response to ongoing opposition to his past anti-Semitic statements.
West, who now goes by Ye, is currently scheduled to play at the Stade Vélodrome in Marseille on June 11th. However, local French authorities have publicly announced that they want to keep the rap star off the stage.
The French authorities are increasingly vocal in their opposition to Yes appearing in the traditional stadium. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez confirmed that the June concert in Marseille was currently being examined.
Crime or public order?
According to French newspaper Le Monde, authorities are weighing whether West’s previous statements “pose the risk of a crime and whether public order is at risk.”
A spokesman for West did not immediately respond to ROLLING STONE’s request for comment.
Nuñez met with regional authorities, including Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur prefect Jacques Witkowski and Marseille Mayor Benoît Payan, to discuss possible steps.
Marseille as a stage for hate?
Payan has taken a particularly clear position: “I refuse to make Marseille a stage for those who propagate hatred and shameless Nazism,” he wrote on
His words reflect a widespread sentiment among local leaders, many of whom believe that West’s public apology for his previous statements has done little to restore trust. The rapper’s much-publicized apology is widely perceived to have fallen on deaf ears.
The controversy is not limited to France. West was recently disinvited from headlining the Wireless Festival after his application to enter the UK Home Office was rejected.
Wireless Festival canceled
The festival organizers confirmed the consequences: “As a result of the Home Office entry ban for Ye, the Wireless Festival is forced to cancel. All ticket purchasers will automatically receive a full refund.”
Even before the application was rejected, Pepsi and Diageo had withdrawn their sponsorships of the event after West was announced as the Wireless Festival’s headliner.
Despite these setbacks, West continues to draw huge crowds elsewhere. His most recent performance in Los Angeles reportedly sold out in minutes, drawing tens of thousands of fans and featuring a lavish stage set and a setlist that spanned his entire career.
New album “Bully”
The rapper has also remained musically active: his new studio album “Bully” debuted with strong streaming numbers and includes collaborations with Travis Scott, CeeLo Green, Peso Pluma and André Troutman.
