Ye’s Russia Concerts Scrapped as St Petersburg Stadium Cancels Venue Deal

Two planned Ye concerts in St Petersburg, Russia, will no longer take place at Gazprom Arena, the stadium has said.

The rapper, formerly known as Kanye West, was due to perform on 10 and 11 October. Gazprom Arena said no rental agreement had been signed with the Moscow-based Say Agency, meaning the concerts could not be held there.

Say Agency said it was surprised by the announcement and insisted the concerts had not been cancelled. The agency said it was trying to contact the stadium and resolve the dispute.

The agency had announced the shows earlier this month after receiving what it described as an official approval letter from the venue. It said Gazprom Arena later sent a rental agreement, but that the deadline for signing it had not yet passed.

The concerts had attracted criticism because of Ye's history of antisemitic remarks and other controversial statements. Some Russian politicians had also opposed his appearance.

If held, the concerts would have made Ye one of the first major Western artists to perform in Russia since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Ye has apologised for his past antisemitic comments, saying he was deeply ashamed of his behaviour. However, several planned concerts in Europe have been cancelled because of the controversy surrounding him.