As sponsors pull out from London`s Wireless Festival over headliner Ye, its organiser is standing by the rapper formerly known as Kanye West.
Melvin Benn, the managing director at Festival Republic, shared a statement on Monday backing his company`s decision to book Ye.
“Forgiveness and giving people a second chance are becoming a lost virtue in this ever-increasing divisive world,” he wrote. “I would ask people to reflect on their instant comments of disgust at the likelihood of him performing (as was mine) and offer some forgiveness and hope to him as I have decided to do.”
Ye, who changed his name in 2021, is booked to perform in front of around 150,000 revellers over the course of the festival`s three nights, July 10 – 12.
The rapper has drawn widespread condemnation in recent years for antisemitic remarks and voicing admiration for Adolf Hitler. Last year, he released a song called “Heil Hitler” and advertised a Hakenkreuz T-shirt for sale on his website.
The 48-year-old apologised this past January for his antisemitic remarks in a letter, published as a full-page advertisement in the Wall Street Journal. He said his bipolar disorder led him to fall into “a four-month long, manic episode of psychotic, paranoid and impulsive behaviour that destroyed my life”.
Wireless sponsors Pepsi, Rockstar Energy and Diageo have pulled out of the festival since Ye was announced as the headliner, although lead sponsor Pepsi didn`t offer a reason. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the booking “deeply concerning”.
“Ye`s music is played on commercial radio stations in this country. It is available via live streams and downloads in this country without comment or vitriol from anyone and he has a legal right to come into the country and to perform in this country,” Benn`s statement said.
“We are not giving him a platform to extol opinion of whatever nature, only to perform the songs that are currently played on the radio stations in our country and the streaming platforms in our country and listened to and enjoyed by millions,” the statement continued.
Last week, Kanye West, popularly known as Ye now, held two concerts at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, marking his first major US performances in nearly five years. There, fans appeared to separate his personal beliefs and public statements from his music – and were ready to forgive after his January apology letter.
“I don`t really bring into politics or the way someone`s personal opinion are. I`m into the music artistry,” said Yovani Contreras, one fan in attendance. “Like, I just, to me, Ye is always gonna be Ye. Kanye is always gonna be Kanye.”
A representative for Ye didn`t immediately reply to a request for comment Monday.
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Even as sponsors pull out, Wireless Festival says they stand by Kanye West
