Kanye West’s upcoming world tour has just lost another date, with a French show now being canned following the cancellation last week of his three performances as part of London's Wireless Festival.
He announced the postponement of a planned show in Marseille last night amid reports ministers in France were considering following the lead of their UK counterparts in blocking him from performing in the country.
The rapper posted on X, “after much thought and consideration, it is my sole decision to postpone my show in Marseille, France until further notice”.
West has been attempting a commercial comeback in recent months after issuing a statement in January that apologised for his past antisemitic comments and conduct. That conduct, of course, had previously resulted in most of West's music industry and brand partners cutting their ties with the rapper.
Following the release of new album ‘Bully’ in March, he returned to the stage for two shows in LA at the start of this month. His international touring is now set to kick off in India on 23 May, followed by shows in Turkey and the Netherlands.
There has been plenty of criticism of West’s attempts at reviving his music career. Critics, including many Jewish groups, have questioned the sincerity of West’s January statement, given previous apologies were followed by new antisemitic remarks and the release of the song ‘Heil Hitler’.
Concern has also been expressed about the speed with which some music companies have been willing to rehabilitate the musician, helping him to generate millions in new ticket sales.
Live Nation’s Festival Republic felt the heat of that criticism after booking West to play all three days of its Wireless Festival in London. Festival Republic boss Melvin Benn defended the booking, saying that while West's past conduct was “abhorrent” he deserved “a second chance”.
But with politicians from across the political spectrum criticising the Wireless shows, the UK government decided to intervene and withdrew West’s permission to perform in the country.
It looked like something similar could happen in France. According to Agence France-Presse, earlier this week sources close to France’s Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said the politician was “highly determined” to block West’s planned Marseille show and was exploring “all options” to make that happen. West’s decision to postpone the show means that’s no longer necessary.
As it currently stands it looks like two shows in the Netherlands will go ahead, despite similar criticism from politicians and Jewish groups there. Last week the country’s asylum and migration minister, Bart van den Brink, said there were no plans as yet to bar West from performing in the country.
In a follow up statement to his announcement that the Marseille show was being postponed, West himself mused, “I know it takes time to understand the sincerity of my commitment to make amends. I take full responsibility for what’s mine but I don’t want to put my fans in the middle of it”.
He then added, “My fans are everything to me. Looking forward to the next shows. See you at the top of the globe”.