Two planned concerts by Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, in St Petersburg are now in serious doubt after Gazprom Arena said the shows will not take place at the stadium.
The concerts had been billed as a major moment for Ye, who would have become the biggest Western music star to perform in Russia since the start of the Ukraine war. Gazprom Arena had previously announced that the rapper would perform on October 10 and 11, describing him on social media as “the most influential musical artist of our time”. The post even added: “This is no joke!”
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Tickets reportedly sold out almost immediately, with some premium tickets going for as much as £1,390 ($1,896).
The announcement came amid growing international controversy over Ye’s planned appearance in Russia. Countries including the UK, Italy, Poland, Switzerland and France have previously blocked or sought to block his concerts because of concerns over public safety and his history of antisemitic remarks and expressions of sympathy for Nazism.
In January, Ye apologised publicly for his past behaviour and spoke about his struggles with mental health. In the apology, he rejected the description of himself as a Nazi or antisemite and said he loved Jewish people.
Now, however, Gazprom Arena has sought to distance itself from the planned Russian shows.
“In light of the numerous inquiries received by Gazprom Arena regarding the organisation of a Kanye West concert, we hereby officially state: Gazprom Arena was not, and is not, the organiser of this event,” the stadium said. It identified Moscow-based concert agency Say Agency as the promoter.
The venue also said it had not signed a lease agreement for the concerts.
“Gazprom Arena has not signed any contracts to lease the stadium for this event. No such contract exists. Consequently, the concert cannot take place at our venue,” it said.
Say Agency, however, struck a different tone on Telegram. The promoter said it was surprised by the stadium’s announcement and learned about the situation at the same time as the public.
Despite the venue’s statement, the agency insisted that, “as of now, the Ye concert has not been cancelled.”
According to Say Agency, it announced the concerts after Gazprom Arena approved an “official letter”, although the formal rental agreement had not been completed ahead of its expected expiry later this week.
Ye’s proposed Russian appearance has already generated plenty of debate beyond the country. A performance in Russia would follow previous appearances there by international acts including Paul Oakenfold, DaBaby, Jason Derulo and Akon, but it would also put Ye in the middle of the broader sanctions imposed on Russia and international calls for cultural boycotts following the invasion of Ukraine.
The controversy has also reached Russian politics.
Politician Nikolay Novichkov called for Ye to be investigated over his past praise of Adolf Hitler and argued that the concerts should be cancelled unless the rapper publicly expressed “moral support for Russia and the special military operation”.
Another lawmaker, Vitaly Milonov, went a step further, suggesting that Ye should perform traditional Russian songs during the concerts. “Maybe after this he’ll stop his disgusting antics and become a normal person,” Milonov said.
Say Agency has previously acknowledged the controversy surrounding Ye but defended its decision to work with him. The agency argued that while his past comments should not simply be forgotten, his decades-long influence on music and popular culture deserved to be considered alongside the controversy.
For all the backlash, Ye’s international fan base has continued to turn out in large numbers where his concerts have gone ahead. In recent months, he has performed before major audiences in the United States, Turkey, the Netherlands, Georgia, Albania, Portugal and Kazakhstan, with additional dates reportedly planned for the US and Indonesia.
The Russian concerts, if eventually relocated or otherwise salvaged, would form part of the promotional cycle for Ye’s 12th solo album, Bully, which was released in March.
For now, though, the question is not whether fans can buy tickets,they already have. The bigger question is whether there will be a stage in St Petersburg for Ye to stand on at all.
reference
The Guardian – Russian stadium says it will not host Kanye concerts�
Reuters – Kanye West to perform in Russia in October�
Meduza – Fans paid up to 160,000 rubles for Ye’s Russia concerts�
