Kanye West apologized for his antisemitism earlier this year, but his previous bigotries are still leading to a lot of backlash. The United Kingdom's Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed deep concern over Ye's Wireless Festival booking. Hours later, Pepsi pulled out as the main sponsor behind the event.
For those unaware, Kanye will headline London's Wireless Festival for three nights, similar to what Drake did last year. But a reported statement from the Prime Minister to The Sun shows the controversy this is causing.
"It is deeply concerning Kanye West has been booked to perform at Wireless despite his previous antisemitic remarks and celebration of Nazism," Starmer reportedly stated. "Antisemitism in any form is abhorrent and must be confronted firmly wherever it appears. Everyone has a responsibility to ensure Britain is a place where Jewish people feel safe."
Per iTV News, the main sponsor of the Wireless Festival, Pepsi, announced today (Sunday, April 5) that they will no longer back the event. "Pepsi has decided to withdraw its sponsorship of Wireless Festival," a spokesperson reportedly told the outlet. Although this does not explicitly mention the Bully creative or the PM's recent remarks, the context is hard to ignore.
Kanye West Concerts
But beyond this controversy over future shows, Kanye West is busy with his present run. He sold out two nights at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles this week, breaking various records and captivating many fans with his performances.
Ye also brought out special guests. Frequent Bully collaborator Andre Troutman helped him throughout the whole show, and CeeLo Green and Kanye's daughter North West also popped out. Travis Scott graced the stage for their "FATHER" collab, and Lauryn Hill performed various cuts. She also brought out her sons, Zion and YG Marley, and joined the Chicago artist's performance of his songs that sample her.
We will see if similar bombast applies to this Wireless Festival run, which fans expect. However, after Keir Starmer's remarks and Pepsi's exit, we will see if more consequences follow. U.K. politicians already criticized Kanye West and Wireless over this booking, specifically London mayor Sadiq Khan. Wireless Festival goes down from July 10 to July 12.
Read More: Kanye West "Bully" Album Review
