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In an abrupt ending following a week of controversy, the U.K. Home Office has banned Kanye West from entering the country, blocking his headlining set at London’s Wireless Festival this summer. The FADER has reached out to gamma, West's distributor, for comment.
“As with every Wireless festival, multiple stakeholders were consulted in advance of booking Ye and no concerns were highlighted at the time,” a statement from Wireless Festival to The Guardian said in part. “Antisemitism in all its forms is abhorrent.”
Wireless Fest provided a statement from Mr. West to Complex. West said:
“I’ve been following the conversation around Wireless and want to address it directly. My only goal is to come to London and present a show of change, bringing unity, peace, and love through my music. I would be grateful for the opportunity to meet with members of the Jewish community in the UK in person, to listen. I know words aren't enough. I’ll have to show change through my actions. If you're open, I'm here.”
It appears that West’s Electronic Travel Authorization (an alternative to a visa) was initially approved online before being rescinded by the Home Office, “on the grounds that his presence would not be conducive to the public good,” per the BBC.
Reports say the Festival’s Tuesday presale tickets sold out ahead of Wednesday’s planned general sale, though all passes will now be refunded.
The government decision comes after a wave of sponsors, including Pepsico, Paypal, Diageo, and Rockstar Energy, pulled out of Wireless Festival following the announcement of Kanye West as a headliner. In an appearance on BBC radio, festival organizer Melvin Benn said Pepsi "signed off and approved" of Kanye as the headliner. Fans had previously questioned the motivation behind these sponsorship departures, especially given Paypal ran their own co-branded presale of tickets for Wireless.
The cancelled festival appearance comes at a particularly fraught moment for West, fresh off the release of his 12th studio album BULLY. Under a new arrangement with Larry Jackson’s gamma, West has more structural support for his music now than he has in recent years, complete with major arena shows and video budgets, but the reception to his new material has been muted at best.
Initial performances of BULLY were critically lambasted, though it appears that West and co. took the critiques to heart, with a weekend performance featuring Lauryn Hill receiving several plaudits.
