2 hours ago
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Pepsi has withdrawn as the presenting sponsor of London’s Wireless Festival following the announcement that Kanye West will headline all three days of the event this summer.
West’s booking has been heavily criticized by UK officials, including British prime minister Keir Starmer. In an interview with The Sun, Starmer said he was “deeply concerned” by the rapper’s scheduled appearance, adding that “antisemitism in any form is abhorrent and must be confronted firmly wherever it appears. Everyone has a responsibility to ensure Britain is a place where Jewish people feel safe.”
West allegedly expressed antisemitic views as far back as the early 2000s, but beginning in 2022 his statements and conduct toward Jewish people became increasingly overt. As recently as spring 2025, West sold t-shirts with a swastika emblazoned on them, and released a song called “Heil Hitler,” which praised and sampled a speech by the Nazi leader.
Earlier this year, West took out a one-page ad in The Wall Street Journal apologizing for his past actions and attributing them to the effects of his bipolar I diagnosis. The apology came ahead of the release of his latest album, Bully, as well as the announcement of several high-profile concerts, including Wireless Festival.
Read Kiana Fitzgerald’s new editorial on why the industry is once again giving Kanye West a pass.
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