US rapper Ye, previously known as Kanye West, has postponed his upcoming concert in France after mounting political pressure over his past antisemitic remarks.
“After much thought and consideration, it is my sole decision to postpone my show in Marseille, France until further notice,” the rapper wrote on X.
The decision follows reports that France’s interior minister, Laurent Nuñez, was seeking to block the performance scheduled for 11 June at Marseille’s Vélodrome stadium.
A source close to the minister told Agence France-Presse on Tuesday that he was “highly determined” to ban the concert and was exploring “all possibilities”.
The 48-year-old rapper has faced widespread backlash in recent months for making antisemitic remarks and expressing admiration for Adolf Hitler. In Britain, authorities have barred the rapper from entering the country over his controversial statements.
The move prompted organisers of the Wireless Festival, where he was due to headline in July, to cancel the event entirely. UK prime minister Keir Starmer had described West’s booking as “deeply concerning”.
Additionally, Dutch asylum and migration minister Bart van den Brink said last week that there were no immediate plans to block the rapper from entering the Netherlands.
In France, opposition to the concert has also come from local leadership. Benoît Payan, the leftwing mayor of Marseille, said last month he opposed the performance, stating he refused “to allow Marseille to be a showcase for those who promote hatred and unabashed Nazism”.
“Kanye West is not welcome at the Vélodrome, our temple of living together and belonging to all Marseillais,” Payan wrote on X.
Controversy surrounding Ye intensified since May 2025, when he released a track titled “Heil Hitler” and previously advertised a Hakenkreuz-themed T-shirt on his website. The song was subsequently removed by major streaming platforms.
Ye later expressed regret for his conduct, attributing his behaviour to bipolar disorder. Before the cancellation of his Wireless festival appearance, he had said he was willing to meet London’s Jewish community in an effort to make amends.
“I know words aren’t enough – I’ll have to show change through my actions,” he said.