Kanye West offers to meet Jewish community in Britain as Wireless backlash intensifies
The rapper said he wanted to "present a show of change, bringing unity, peace, and love through music."
By Nick Reilly
Kanye West has offered to meet the Jewish community in Britain, amid the threat of his planned performance at Wireless Festival facing cancellation.
The rapper, now going by the name Ye, penned a fresh letter after his antisemitic comments last year led to calls for him to be banned from headlining three nights of the London event this summer.
Four major sponsors including Pepsi and Rockstar Energy pulled out of the event over the Easter weekend, while Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the booking as “deeply concerning.” The performance has also been condemned by London mayor Sadiq Khan.
The rapper, who has not performed in the UK since 2015, faced widespread condemnation last year for sharing antisemitic posts on social media, describing himself as a Nazi, paying for a a Super Bowl advert which promoted a swastika T-shirt, and a song which praised Hitler.
In his latest statement, West said: “I’ve been following the conversation around Wireless and want to address it directly. My only goal is to come to London and present a show of change, bringing unity, peace, and love through music.
“I would be grateful for the opportunity to meet with members of the Jewish community in the UK in person, to listen. I know words aren’t enough – I’ve have to show change through my actions. If you’re open, I’m here. With Love.”
This comes hours after Festival Republic boss Melvin Benn, who green lit the booking, condemned West’s comments but defended the planned performance.
In a statement, Benn called on critics to offer Ye “forgiveness and hope,” saying, “Forgiveness and giving people a second chance are becoming a lost virtue in this ever-increasing divisive world.”
Alluding to West’s apology, in which the rapper tied his antisemitic outbursts to his battle with bipolar disorder, Benn said that, for the past 15 years, he’s had a person in his life who also “suffers from mental illness.” Benn added that he had witnessed “many episodes of despicable behaviour that I have had to forgive and move on from.”
West recently returned to the stage with two nights at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles to coincide with the release of his new album, Bully. Along with Wireless, he has upcoming shows scheduled in India, Turkey, and several major European cities.