Ye’s two planned stadium concerts in Russia were officially cancelled after the venue refused to sign a rental agreement.
The rapper was scheduled to perform at the Gazprom Arena in St Petersburg on Oct. 10 and 11.
Gazprom Arena clarified that it had not entered into a contract with the promoters, and the venue, after receiving complaints about West’s previous antisemitic statements, said the event could not go ahead.
West has been criticised for a series of controversial remarks, including selling swastika‑touted T‑shirts and releasing a track titled “Heil Hitler” in 2025, which drew condemnation from Russia’s foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.
The cancellation continues a pattern of aborted shows for the artist: his concerts in Poland, Italy and France were pulled, and he was barred from entering the UK last summer, forcing the cancellation of London’s Wireless Festival.
West has yet to issue a public response to the Russian cancellations.
These developments underline how political and social controversies can derail concerts even in major markets, with venues and regulators taking a firm stance on artists’ statements and public behaviour.
