American rapper Kanye West on Tuesday said he is willing to meet members of the Jewish community in the UK amid growing backlash over his headline slot at this year’s Wireless Festival, as per US media reports.
The controversy surrounding the rapper stems from his anti-semitic, pro-Nazi, and anti-Jewish comments made between 2022 and 2025, including the release of a song titled Heil Hitler and the sale of swastika-adorned merchandise.
The backlash has grown as sponsors continue to step back and political pressure on the government intensifies to deny him entry to the country.
In a statement to Variety, the rapper said he has been closely following the heated debate surrounding the festival and wanted to break his silence. He said his “only goal is to come to London and present a show of change, bringing unity, peace, and love through my music,” and offered to meet community members in person “to listen,” adding, “I know words aren’t enough – I’ll have to show change through my actions. If you’re open, I’m here.”
Meanwhile, the UK government is yet to confirm whether he should be allowed to enter the country.
West had earlier issued a full-page apology in The Wall Street Journal in January, linking his past behaviour to manic episodes due to his bipolar disorder.
However, critics are not convinced. Variety reports that while some critics said that the defense of the booking by festival managing director Melvin Benn would not reassure many within Jewish communities, others rejected it as a promoter of “profiteering from racism”.
Friends actor David Schwimmer spoke out, thanking Pepsi, PayPal and Diageo for backing out as sponsors and encouraging others to follow. “I believe in forgiveness, but it takes much more than this,” he said.
On Zane Lowe’s show, actor Jonah Hill said that it was “bizarre” when West said in 2023 that watching him in 21 Jump Street made him “like Jewish people again”, while still describing West as “the greatest artist to ever live”.