Kathmandu— US rapper Kanye West, known as Ye, is scheduled to perform two concerts at the Gazprom Arena in St. Petersburg, Russia on October 10 and 11, following a series of cancellations across Europe due to his controversial statements regarding Israel and Adolf Hitler. The performances are part of his 'Ye Live Concert Tour 2026' supporting his album *Bully*, and will make him one of the few major Western artists to perform in Russia since the start of the conflict in Ukraine in February 2022. Producer Joseph Karre and local organizer SAY Agency confirmed the shows on Monday.

European Concerts Canceled Amid Controversy

West’s planned performances in several European countries were cancelled after authorities raised concerns about his antisemitic remarks and perceived celebration of Nazism. In April, he was banned from entering the UK, where he had been slated to perform at the Wireless festival, which was subsequently canceled; Prime Minister Keir Starmer criticized organizers for initially booking West “despite his previous anti-Semitic remarks and celebration of Nazism.”

A planned show in Marseille, France was indefinitely postponed in June after authorities reportedly attempted to prevent his entry into the country. The mayor of Reggio Emilia, Italy banned a concert scheduled for July 18 due to concerns from the Jewish community, and his performance the following day in Chorzow, Poland was also cancelled by the venue.

History of Controversial Statements

In recent years, West has faced accusations of promoting neo-Nazi and antisemitic views through social media posts and interviews. In 2022, during an appearance on Infowars, he stated, “I see good things about Hitler” and “I love Jewish people, but I also love Nazis.” He has been photographed wearing clothing adorned with swastikas and released a song in 2025 titled “Heil Hitler,” which included the line “All my ngas Nazis, nga Heil Hitler” and an audio excerpt from a speech by Adolf Hitler.

West later apologized for his actions, attributing them to bipolar disorder as well as “poor judgment and reckless behavior.” He was previously barred from entering Australia over the song referencing Hitler.

Russian Performances Draw Scrutiny

West’s decision to perform in Russia comes after many Western countries severed cultural ties with Moscow following the conflict in Ukraine. Ukrainian officials and activists have actively campaigned against foreign artists performing in Russia, while also pressuring other nations not to host Russian performers. Moscow has dismissed this campaign as an attempt to “cancel Russian culture.”

West previously visited Moscow in June 2024 for the birthday party of designer Gosha Rubchinsky, with whom he had collaborated on his Yeezy clothing brand; Rubchinsky later ended their partnership.

The upcoming concerts in St. Petersburg are expected to draw further scrutiny given West’s history of controversial statements and the ongoing geopolitical context.

(With inputs from RT)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.