Two performances by Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, have been cancelled in St Petersburg after organisers were unable to proceed with the shows at the scheduled venue.
The rapper had been set to perform at Gazprom Arena on two consecutive dates this month. However, the venue had previously indicated it would not host the events, stating that no rental agreement had been finalized with concert promoters. Say Agency, the Moscow-based organization handling the shows, confirmed the cancellations through a Telegram post, noting they would release further details about the project’s status at a later time.
The decision to cancel follows significant controversy surrounding West’s past statements and actions. The performer has recently apologized for multiple antisemitic and pro-Nazi comments, attributing them to losing perspective due to his bipolar disorder. In 2025, he was involved in selling merchandise featuring controversial imagery and released music with inflammatory titles. Such actions drew criticism from Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova, who characterized the planned performances as unacceptable and referenced West’s controversial statements about historical figures.
Opposition to the shows also emerged from pro-war Russian bloggers, who questioned the appropriateness of hosting an American artist given ongoing geopolitical tensions and US support for Ukraine. The venue itself acknowledged receiving complaints regarding the planned performance.
West has not publicly addressed the cancellation. His recent touring activity has included performances in Western Europe and a major US concert in Los Angeles earlier this year. Nevertheless, cancellations of his shows have become increasingly common, with previous events scrapped in London, Poland, Italy, and France.
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