Kanye West's Russia shows officially cancelled after weeks of uncertainty

Two concerts by American rapper Kanye West in Russia, originally planned for October, have been called off, according to the event organizer, Say Agency. West, also known as Ye, was set to perform in St Petersburg. However, a week after the concerts were announced in mid-August, the venue that was meant to host the event revealed it had never entered into a contract with the organizers, a separate company based in Moscow.

Since then, the shows have been in a state of uncertainty, with the organizers offering no clear indication of whether they will proceed. "Friends, it is with sincere regret that we inform you that the YE concerts in St. Petersburg will not be able to take place on the scheduled dates. We will issue an official statement regarding the status of the project and our future plans in the near future," Say Agency announced on Telegram on Wednesday.

Kanye West has encountered concert cancellations and performance bans in various European nations this year, following a string of antisemitic statements, such as praising Adolf Hitler and incorporating Nazi imagery into his work. In January, West issued an apology for these remarks, attributing them to an undiagnosed brain injury and untreated bipolar disorder.

If the concerts had proceeded, West would have become one of the most prominent international music artists to visit Russia since Moscow initiated its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The scheduled performances had drawn criticism from some Russian supporters of the war, who questioned the suitability of hosting a US artist at a time when Washington is providing military and financial assistance to Ukraine.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova condemned the planned shows, labeling them unacceptable and referencing the "glorification" of Hitler by the West.