St. Petersburg’s Gazprom Arena said in a social media post that no rental agreement had been signed with concert promoters, adding that the October 10 and 11 concerts could not take place on its site. According to BBC, the stadium acknowledged it had received complaints about West’s planned appearance and said it was not responsible for his booking. The rapper, now known as Ye, would have been the first major Western performer to play in Russia since the country’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. According to BBC, the stadium previously posted enthusiastically about the concerts, calling Ye “the most influential musical artist of our time.”

Organizers Claim Confusion Over Cancellation

The concerts were organized by Moscow-based Say Agency, which said it had received an official letter of approval from Gazprom Arena; According to BBC, the agency claimed a rental agreement had been sent by the stadium, though it had not yet been signed. Say Agency added that the deadline for signing the agreement was set for later in the week, while Posting on its Telegram channel, the agency said it learned of the cancellation through the media at the same time as the public. “As of now, the Ye concert has not been canceled,” it added, saying it was attempting to resolve the issue; the BBC has contacted West’s publicist for a comment on the uncertainty over his Russian shows.

West’s Global Tour and Legal Challenges

West is in the middle of a European tour, with scheduled performances in countries including Turkey, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, and Portugal, according to BBC; the rapper has also been set to perform in New Delhi, India, in late May. His Marseille concert in France was recently postponed, with the rapper stating it was his “sole decision” to delay the show. According to BBC, French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez had reportedly considered banning the June 11 show, with a source close to the minister saying he was “highly determined” to do so. West, now known as Ye, said he was taking time to prove his commitment to making amends, adding that he did not want to put his fans in the middle of his controversies.

Apologies and Antisemitism Fallout

West has faced widespread criticism over the past several years for a string of antisemitic, racist, and pro-Nazi comments. According to BBC, he apologized in a lengthy statement published in the Wall Street Journal in January, writing that he is “not a Nazi or an antisemite” and that he loves Jewish people. He also attributed some of his behavior to his bipolar disorder, saying he had “lost touch with reality.” His public image has been in flux since the comments, with recent efforts to regain mainstream attention. Bart van den Brink, the Dutch asylum and migration minister, said there were no plans to ban West from performing in the Netherlands, though Fans have expressed disappointment over the uncertainty surrounding the Russian concerts, as well as the postponed French show.