Kanye West to perform in Russia after European concert cancellations

The US rapper will play two shows in St.

Petersburg after facing bans and cancellations over his remarks about Hitler and Nazism US rapper Kanye West will perform two shows in Russia after his concerts were canceled in several European countries over the star’s controversial remarks about Israel and Adolf Hitler.

The rapper, also known as Ye, will perform at St.

Petersburg’s Gazprom Arena on October 10 and 11, his producer Joseph Karre and local organizer SAY Agency confirmed on Monday.

The shows will be part of the Ye Live Concert Tour 2026 in support of his 12th album, Bully.

West will be one of the few big-name Western artists to perform in Russia since February 2022, when many Western countries cut cultural ties with Moscow over the Ukraine conflict. pic.twitter.com/ByifQQvabA — Joseph Karre (@JosephKarre) August 17, 2026 Ukrainian officials and activists have campaigned to dissuade foreign artists from visiting Russia and pressured other countries not to host Russian performers, including ballet dancers and orchestras.

Moscow has described the campaign as a futile attempt to “cancel Russian culture.” In June 2024, West flew to Moscow for the birthday party of Gosha Rubchinsky, a designer who collaborated with him on his Yeezy clothing brand.

Rubchinsky cut ties with West the following year.

In recent years, West has been accused of spreading neo-Nazi and anti-Semitic views through social media posts and statements in interviews.

Appearing on Infowars in 2022, he said, “I see good things about Hitler” and “I love Jewish people, but I also love Nazis.” He has worn T-shirts and necklaces featuring swastikas and, in 2025, released a song titled Heil Hitler, which contained the line “All my n**gas Nazis, n**ga Heil Hitler” and an audio excerpt from a 1936 Hitler speech.

Kanye West wears diamond swastika necklace as he meets up with white supremacist Nick Fuentes.

“Yo you know I’m here with my white supremacist home boy Nick.

We back.” pic.twitter.com/dslipUBnLi — Oli London (@OliLondonTV) March 18, 2025 West has since apologized, attributing his actions to bipolar disorder as well as “poor judgment and reckless behavior.” Read more Kanye West draws record crowd in Türkiye despite EU cancellations Last year, the rapper was barred from entering Australia over the song referencing Hitler.

In April, West was banned from entering the UK, where he had been scheduled to perform at the Wireless festival.