The Prime Minister has blasted the decision as ‘deeply concerning’ (Image: Getty)
The Prime Minister has slammed a popular music festival after it announced that Kanye West would headline this summer. Sir Keir Starmer called the decision to book the rap star, to perform at Wireless Festival “deeply concerning” after several racist and anti-semitic controversies in recent years.
In May last year, West released a single titled Heil Hitler, and he was criticised for posting tweets of an antisemitic nature and describing slavery as “a choice”. The 48-year-old will headline all three days of Wireless Festival from July 10-12, with 50,000 tickets available for each night.
The event will also be televised to millions globally. The PM told the Sun on Sunday: “It is deeply concerning Kanye West has been booked to perform at Wireless despite his previous antisemitic remarks and celebration of Nazism.
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Last year, West released a single titled Heil Hitler (Image: Getty)
“Antisemitism 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.”
Adidas, which produced his Yeezy trainers, severed its ties with the Power rapper in 2022, and donated more than 150 million dollars (£117 million) to anti-hate groups after a series of outbursts.
In one, West said he was going “death con 3 on Jewish people”.
West took out an advert in US newspaper The Wall Street Journal to apologise for a number of statements about Nazis, Adolf Hitler and Jews, in which he said he was not asking for “sympathy or a free pass” and wanted to earn forgiveness from the public.
He also apologised to the black community, saying he had let them down, and added that a car crash 25 years ago led to him being diagnosed as bipolar.
He said: “In that fractured state (of his bipolar diagnosis), I gravitated toward the most destructive symbol I could find, the swastika, and even sold T-shirts bearing it.
“One of the difficult aspects of having bipolar type-1 are the disconnected moments, many of which I still cannot recall, that lead to poor judgment and reckless behaviour that (often) feels like an out-of-body experience.
“I regret and am deeply mortified by my actions in that state, and am committed to accountability, treatment, and meaningful change. It does not excuse what I did, though. I am not a Nazi or an antisemite. I love Jewish people.
West will headline all three days of Wireless Festival from July 10-12 (Image: Getty)
“To the black community, which held me down through all of the highs and lows and the darkest of times. The black community is, unquestionably, the foundation of who I am. I am so sorry to have let you down. I love us.
“In early 2025, I fell into a four-month long manic episode of psychotic, paranoid and impulsive behaviour that destroyed my life. As the situation became increasingly unsustainable, there were times I didn’t want to be here any more.”
Holocaust Educational Trust boss Karen Pollock told the Sun on Sunday the booking “is causing distress to Britain’s Jewish community due to his previous antisemitism and support for Hitler”.
She said: “He wrote a song entitled Heil Hitler. I know he has since apologised, but if an artist had singled out any other ethnic or religious group for such horrific abuse you’d expect them never to get a gig ever again, let alone headlining major UK festivals.
“Wireless should think again about whether they want to provide a platform for this hateful antisemitism.”
The Jewish Leadership Council branded his booking “deeply irresponsible”.
It added: “His most recent apology must be considered in the context that he went on to sell swastika T-shirts and release a song called Heil Hitler after apologising previously.
The Daily Express has approached Wireless Festival for comment.