Rapper Kanye West, now known as Ye, has issued a statement after calls for him to be dropped as Wireless headliner and banned from the UK following his antisemetic remarks
Kanye West has broken his silence after calls for him to be dropped by Wireless Festival and even banned from entering the country continue to mount. Keir Starmer called his headline appearance ‘deeply concerning’ and several sponsors have pulled out of funding the North London event.
West’s permission to enter the UK is currently being reviewed by ministers. It comes after the rapper’s antisemitic behaviour in recent years, including releasing a song called Heil Hitler and selling swastika T-shirts last year.
In a statement addressed to ‘Those I’ve hurt,’ West said: “I’ve been following the conversation around Wireless and want to address it directly. My goal is to come to London and present a show of change, bringing unity, peace and love through my music. I would be grateful for the opportunity to meet with members of the Jewish community in London in person, to listen. I know words aren’t enough. I’ll have to show change through my actions. If you’re open I’m here. Love Ye.”
It comes after main sponsor Pepsi pulled out over West being named its headline act. The drinks giant has been a partner of the hip-hop event since 2015 but is distancing itself after the singer’s repeated antisemitic rants. Global beverage brand Diageo, maker of Johnnie Walker whisky and Captain Morgan rum, quickly followed suit and withdrew as a partner. While PayPal have now pulled their advertising from the festival.
Keir Starmer called the decision to have the American headline all three nights of the festival in Finsbury Park, North London, “deeply concerning”. A source told the Mirror: “Following the mounting backlash surrounding the announcement and Sir Keir Starmer speaking out, Pepsi’s position as festival sponsor became untenable. Festivals are about bringing people together. The only decision was to withdraw with Kanye West topping the bill.”
The festival had been officially named “Pepsi presents Wireless” and is to take place on July 10, 11 and 12, with tickets going on general sale on Wednesday, starting at £140.50.
West, 48, is the only act that has so far been announced.
But the Prime Minister had lashed out at its choice of headliner, saying: “Anti-Semitism 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.” Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has faced calls from politicians and the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) to ban West from coming to the UK, saying his presence would not be “conducive to the public good”.
The president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews said it was “time for Wireless to do the decent thing and rescind an invitation they never should have offered”.
West has drawn widespread criticism in recent years after he began voicing admiration for the Nazis and made a series of racist remarks.
Last year, he released a song called Heil Hitler, only a few months after advertising a swastika T-shirt for sale on his website.
Celebrities have also weighed in on the decision to have West headline the long-running music festival.
Little Britain’s Matt Lucas said: “Have you released a song called ‘Heil Hitler’? Have you sold T-shirts with swastikas on them? Have you promised to go ‘death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE’? If so, congratulations! You may be eligible to headline Wireless Fest sponsored by Pepsi UK.”
David Schwimmer has branded Kanye West “one of the most recognisable hate-mongering bigots in the world“. He wrote: “Remember: Ye’s apologised before, only to retract that apology and double down on his virulent hatred of Jewish people.”
Addressing his return to the limelight this year, the Friends actor called out his famous support acts. “So he’s launching a comeback, having recently played at SoFi Stadium in California (Kroenke family were you aware?) supported by Lauryn Hill, Travis Scott, CeeLo Green and Don Toliver — artists who seem to shrug off his history of rabid antisemitism. Or maybe endorse it? Hard to say, since none of them ever publicly denounced his past remarks.”
David insisted: “An apology letter is just that: Words on paper.”
West apologised in January for his anti-Semitic comments in a letter published as a full-page advert in the Wall Street Journal.
In it, he said his bipolar disorder had led him to fall into a “manic episode of psychotic, paranoid and impulsive behaviour that destroyed my life”.
Following his racist remarks, numerous brands severed ties with him, including Adidas and Gap.
His appearance comes amid fears of growing anti-Semitism in Britain, with last October’s Manchester synagogue terror attack in which Adrian Daulby and Melvin Cravitz were killed still fresh in the memory.
With Pepsi pulling out, it is uncertain how the festival will be funded.
Melvin Benn, managing director at Festival Republic, which promotes Wireless Festival, described himself as a “deeply committed anti-fascist” and “person of forgiveness”.
In a statement, Mr Benn added: “What Ye has said in the past about Jews and Hitler is as abhorrent to me as it is to the Jewish community, the Prime Minister and others that have commented and – taking him at his word – to Ye now also.
“Ye’s music is played on commercial radio stations in this country. It is available via live streams and downloads in this country without comment or vitriol from anyone and he has a legal right to come into the country and to perform in this country.
“He is intended to come in and perform. We are not giving him a platform to extol opinion of whatever nature, only to perform the songs that are currently played on the radio stations in our country and the streaming platforms in our country and listened to and enjoyed by millions.”