Kanye West's Russian Concerts Canceled As Venue Finally Speaks Out

BY Alexander Cole
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Feb 13, 2022; Inglewood, CA, USA; Rapper/recording artist Kanye West during the Cincinnati Bengals game against the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Kanye West was supposed to have two concerts in Russia on October 10 and 11, but those have been hit with a reality check.

Kanye West was slated to perform in Saint Petersburg, Russia on October 10 and 11. Overall, these shows were generating some controversy as fans were unsure if Ye would have to placate the Russian government. Especially when you consider the current war with Ukraine.

The show was also supposed to take place at Gazprom Arena, which holds 80,000 people. According to Billboard, the arena has made it crystal clear that these shows are not actually happening. In a post on Instagram, they said they “did not sign any contracts for the stadium rent for the event.”

“There is no such agreement,” the venue said. “Accordingly, the concert cannot take place on our site.”

Kanye West Is No Longer Going To Russia

Say Agency, the promoter for the event, has released a statement. They claim that they were blindsided by the arena's announcement. In their eyes, the shows are not canceled. Instead, they are attempting to contract the venue so that Ye can get his concerts back on track.

“We learned about [it] at the same time as you did, through the media,” Say Agency reportedly said on Telegram. “As of now, the Ye concert has not been canceled. We are trying to contact the venue to find out the reason for the post and resolve the issue. We will keep you updated.”

It remains to be seen whether or not Ye's team will be able to find a solution. These kinds of hiccups have not been uncommon for West. His controversial nature has made it difficult for various cities and countries to embrace him. For instance, his recent ban in the UK prevented him from performing at the Wireless Festival.

About The Author
Alexander Cole is the current editor-in-chief of HotNewHipHop. He started at HotNewHipHop back in 2018 where he began as a Sports and Sneakers writer. It was here where he began to hone his craft, putting his journalism degree from Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec, to good use. Since that time, he has documented some of the biggest stories in the hip-hop world. From the Kendrick Lamar and Drake beef to the disturbing allegations against Diddy, Alex has helped HotNewHipHop navigate large-scale stories as they happen. In 2021, he went to the Bahamas for the Big 3's Championship Game. It was here where he got to interview legendary figures like Ice Cube, Clyde Drexler, and Stephen Jackson. He has also interviewed other superstar athletes such as Antonio Brown, Damian Lillard, and Paul Pierce. This is in addition to conversations with social media provocateurs like Jake Paul, and younger respected artists like Kaycyy, Lil Tecca, and Jeleel!

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