Kanye West’s planned concerts in Russia have been thrown into fresh uncertainty. Gazprom Arena says it will not host the rapper’s shows.
The St Petersburg stadium was set to host Ye, also known as Kanye West, on 10 and 11 October. However, the venue says no rental agreement was signed with the promoters. “Accordingly, the concert cannot take place on our site,” the stadium said.
The concerts were organised by Moscow-based Say Agency. The agency said the stadium’s announcement came as a surprise.
“As of now, the Ye concert has not been canceled,” it said.
Say Agency also claimed the venue had approved the shows earlier this month. It said the contract deadline had not yet expired.
Meanwhile, the planned concerts have already faced criticism in Russia. Some politicians have opposed West’s appearance because of his controversial past. Conservative lawmaker Vitaly Milonov even suggested that the rapper should perform traditional Russian songs instead. Still, there is no evidence that Russian authorities ordered the concerts to be stopped.
West’s planned Russia shows have attracted global attention. He would have become the first major Western performer to play there since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. His return to the stage has also faced major backlash because of his past antisemitic comments.
West once called himself “a Nazi” and released a song titled Heil Hitler. He later apologised and said,
“I am not a Nazi or an antisemite.”
Despite the apology, several European shows on his 2026 tour have reportedly been cancelled. His Russia concerts now face another major setback. Say Agency says it is contacting the stadium to resolve the issue. Fans will have to wait for confirmation on whether the shows will happen.
