50 Cent has weighed in on the controversy surrounding Wireless Festival's decision to platform Kanye West as a headliner at this year's event in London. Taking to Instagram on Sunday, he reacted to Pepsi's decision to pull out as a sponsor of the event. "Pepsi has decided to withdraw its sponsorship of Wireless Festival," the company said in a statement on Sunday. “Oh I know he sick,” 50 wrote in his caption. “Bro he might black out again. LOL.”
In addition to Pepsi pulling out, the United Kingdom's Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, criticized the music festival's decision in a statement. "It is deeply concerning Kanye West has been booked to perform at Wireless despite his previous antisemitic remarks and celebration of Nazism," Starmer said. "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."
Several voices in politics are now calling for the U.K. government to block West from performing. Sajid Javid labeled the situation "disgraceful" in a post on X (formerly Twitter). "The organisers have a small window to still do the right thing and disinvite him. If they don’t, just like I did with hate preachers, I’m certain the Home Secretary will want to use her powers and block Kanye West from the UK," he said.
Piers Morgan also weighed in, posting: "Shouldn’t even be a debate. Kanye’s Hitler-loving, Nazi-slathering, Jew-hating bullsh*t should be disqualifying for appearances at any music festival."
Kanye West's Apology
Kanye West published a full-page apology in the Wall Street Journal, earlier this year. In doing so, he took accountability for his years of antisemitic actions. “I lost touch with reality. Things got worse the longer I ignored the problem. I said and did things I deeply regret,” he wrote in the piece. “In that fractured state, I gravitated toward the most destructive symbol I could find, the swastika, and even sold T-shirts bearing it.”
