Ye announced on social media that he is postponing his scheduled June 11 concert at Marseille’s Stade Vélodrome until further notice, saying the decision was his alone after “much thought and consideration.” The move follows mounting pressure from French officials who had urged the show to be called off because of the rapper’s history of antisemitic remarks.
Marseille Mayor Benoit Payan publicly opposed the event, saying the city would not serve as a platform for those who promote hatred and unapologetic Nazism and making clear Ye was not welcome at the Velodrome. France’s Interior Minister Laurent Nunez told Politico he was very determined to prevent the concert from taking place.
Criticism of the US artist has intensified in recent years. He released a track titled “Heil Hitler” last year and has been accused of promoting merchandise featuring Nazi imagery on his website. In January Ye ran a full-page advertisement in the Wall Street Journal titled To Those I’ve Hurt, apologizing for his behavior and attributing some actions to mental illness; in that statement he said he was not a Nazi or an antisemite and expressed love for Jewish people.
The Marseille postponement comes days after the UK Home Office denied Ye entry, leading organizers to cancel his planned headline appearance at London’s Wireless Festival in July on grounds that his presence would not be conducive to the public good.
In a follow-up post announcing the French postponement, Ye addressed fans directly, calling them “everything” to him and saying it will take time to demonstrate the sincerity of his efforts to make amends.