Ye faces growing calls to cancel US concerts over Nazi praise

Calls to cancel concerts by rapper Ye, also known as Kanye West, 49, are growing louder in the United States following his repeated antisemitic remarks and praise of Nazism.

San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones posted on social media Sunday that "someone who has made hateful and antisemitic remarks should not be allowed to perform at a city-funded facility like the Alamodome," adding, "Absolutely not. And especially not on July 4th, the 250th anniversary of American independence," The New York Times reported.

The remarks appeared directed at Ye's upcoming tour in support of his new album "Bully."

Other politicians have also called for cancellations. Sen. Rick Scott, Republican of Florida, said a planned performance in Tampa later this month "should be carefully reconsidered."

In an open letter to the Tampa Sports Authority board, Scott argued that "hosting an event for Ye, who uses dangerous and hateful rhetoric, at a stadium supported by taxpayer money could be problematic."

Ye has drawn widespread condemnation for antisemitic statements and praise of Nazi ideology.

In 2022, he posted that he would go "death con 3" on Jewish people — a play on the military alert scale DEFCON used to express hostility. Last May, on the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany's defeat in World War II, he released a song titled "Heil Hitler" glorifying Nazism. He also posted on X, formerly Twitter, that "I love Hitler" and "I am a Nazi."

As the backlash intensified, he took out a full-page advertisement in The Wall Street Journal in January under the headline "To Those I Have Hurt," writing, "I am not a Nazi and I am not antisemitic" and declaring that he loves Jewish people.

He added that he would strive to take responsibility and bring about meaningful change, but acknowledged, "That doesn't excuse what I've done."

His credibility has remained in doubt, however. He issued a similar apology in 2023, only to retract it in 2025 and resume praising Nazism — a pattern that has left many unconvinced of his sincerity.

European shows also canceled

Ye's European tour has also largely collapsed.

Polish broadcaster TVP reported in April that Silesian Stadium in Chorzów, Poland, announced that Ye's concert scheduled for June 19 would not go ahead "for formal and legal reasons."

Britain's Home Office denied Ye an Electronic Travel Authorization on the grounds that his entry would not be in the public interest, effectively banning him from the country. As a result, his performances at Wireless Festival in Finsbury Park, London, scheduled for July 10 through July 12, were also canceled.

Ye also announced he would postpone his Marseille show after French authorities signaled they might intervene.

Marseille Mayor Benoît Payan had said the city "refuses to become a stage for those who incite hatred and Nazism."

Ye's brand partnership with German sportswear company Adidas was also terminated in 2022 over the antisemitism controversy. Adidas spent two years selling off the remaining Yeezy shoe inventory and donated a portion of the proceeds to antisemitism watchdog groups.

Ye is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, entrepreneur and fashion designer.

yul@heraldcorp.com