Kanye West announces Russia concerts after European cancellations
Kanye West (photo: Getty Images)
American rapper Kanye West, who has repeatedly found himself at the center of controversy in recent years over antisemitic statements and expressions of sympathy for Hitler and Putin, has been announced as the headliner for two concerts in St. Petersburg.
What is known about West’s concerts in Russia
On August 17, 2026, information about Ye’s upcoming performances appeared on the Telegram channel of Russian concert agency SAY Agency. The concerts are scheduled to take place on October 10 and 11 in St. Petersburg.
Ticket prices start at around $106. The most expensive VIP tickets cost approximately $1,885.
West plans to perform in Russia (screenshot)
This is not Ye’s first visit to the aggressor state. In June 2024, he traveled to Moscow to attend the birthday celebration of designer Gosha Rubchinskiy, with whom he had collaborated. At the time, Russian media circulated rumors about a possible concert by the rapper in the capital, but the performance never took place.
Now, however, the artist appears to be planning a show in Russia.
West’s concerts are being canceled in Europe
It is worth noting that Kanye’s concert plans have not been going smoothly lately, at least in some European countries. In April, the rapper was banned from entering the United Kingdom. As a result, the London Wireless Festival, where he was scheduled to perform as a headliner, was canceled.
Later, in France, the rapper’s concert in Marseille was postponed after local authorities said they might ban his performance.
In Poland, a concert scheduled for June was canceled for “formal and legal reasons,” while Swiss football club Basel refused to host Ye’s show at its stadium, citing the artist’s incompatibility with the club’s values.
In recent years, Ye’s career has been accompanied by numerous scandals over his antisemitic statements, public expressions of sympathy for Adolf Hitler and Putin, and use of Nazi symbolism.
West faced a wave of "cancellations" in Europe (photo: Getty Images)
How Ye apologized for his antisemitic statements
In January 2026, the rapper wrote in an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal that he had “lost touch with reality” and attributed his behavior to the effects of a brain injury and bipolar disorder. At the same time, he acknowledged that this did not excuse his actions.
Kanye said he regretted his previous statements about Jewish people, his admiration for Hitler, and his use of Nazi symbolism. Despite this, by spring 2026, his performances across Europe had begun to be canceled one after another.
