Kanye West draws 118,000 to Istanbul show after European bans
Kanye West drew 118,000 fans to a concert at Istanbul’s Ataturk Olympic Stadium on May 30, performing in Europe for the first time since 2014 despite bans in several countries over past antisemitic remarks, cnn.com reports.
The two-hour show on Saturday night marked West’s first appearance in Turkey. Attendees are said to have included fans from Britain, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Russia, Poland and the Middle East.
The US rapper, 48, who also performs as Ye, has faced widespread cancellations across Europe this summer. The moves followed antisemitic comments, including statements praising Adolf Hitler and the release of material using Nazi imagery. His recent track “Heil Hitler” prompted further backlash.
In April, Britain denied West entry on public interest grounds, cancelling a planned Wireless Festival appearance in London. That month he also postponed a Marseille show after reports the French government sought to block it, and a Poland concert was cancelled.
West is scheduled to perform in the Netherlands on June 6 and June 8.
In January, West took a full-page advertisement in the Wall Street Journal renouncing past admiration for Hitler. He apologised for his conduct, attributing it to an undiagnosed brain injury and untreated bipolar disorder.
West has been barred from multiple European venues since 2022 after a series of antisemitic statements led to business and performance cancellations.
Kanye West draws 118,000 to Istanbul show after European bans
Kanye West drew 118,000 fans to a concert at Istanbul’s Ataturk Olympic Stadium on May 30, performing in Europe for the first time since 2014 despite bans in several countries over past antisemitic remarks, cnn.com reports.
The two-hour show on Saturday night marked West’s first appearance in Turkey. Attendees are said to have included fans from Britain, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Russia, Poland and the Middle East.
The US rapper, 48, who also performs as Ye, has faced widespread cancellations across Europe this summer. The moves followed antisemitic comments, including statements praising Adolf Hitler and the release of material using Nazi imagery. His recent track “Heil Hitler” prompted further backlash.
In April, Britain denied West entry on public interest grounds, cancelling a planned Wireless Festival appearance in London. That month he also postponed a Marseille show after reports the French government sought to block it, and a Poland concert was cancelled.
West is scheduled to perform in the Netherlands on June 6 and June 8.
In January, West took a full-page advertisement in the Wall Street Journal renouncing past admiration for Hitler. He apologised for his conduct, attributing it to an undiagnosed brain injury and untreated bipolar disorder.
West has been barred from multiple European venues since 2022 after a series of antisemitic statements led to business and performance cancellations.
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Turkey did not impose restrictions on the Istanbul show.
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