U.K. blocks Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, from entering the country

< warm>WARNING: This story references antisemitic linguistic communication

Organizers for a euphony fete in London have cancelled the upcoming three-day event after the rapper Ye, who was slated to perform, has been barred from entering the U.K. Following past antisemitic remarks.

The cancellation came after a number of government officials and Jewish organizations condemned the festival's choice to have Ye — who changed his name from Kanye West in 2021 —perform.

Festival organizers said Ye had been banned from entering the U.K. In their message announcing the festival cancellation on their website.

Confronting antisemitism after Kanye West’s outbursts

Ye had been expected to headline in front of around 150,000 revellers from July 10 to 12 in London's Finsbury Park. Organizers said anyone who bought tickets will be refunded.

Festival organizers had been under mounting pressure from sponsors and politicians to cancel the gigs by the rapper, who has drawn widespread condemnation in recent years for making antisemitic remarks and voicing admiration for Adolf Hitler.

Ye released a song called Heil Hitler last year, and sold a shirt bearing a swastika for days before Shopify took down the rapper's merchandise website.

He's also denied that the Holocaust happened, made comments in defence of Nazis and posted an image of a swastika inside a Star of David.

In January, the rapper took out a full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal to apologize for past antisemitic comments. Ye attributed his behaviour to a car crash that happened 25 years ago that he says left him with traumatic injuries and contributed to his bipolar disorder.

“In that fractured state, I gravitated toward the most destructive symbol I could find, the swastika, and even sold t-shirts bearing it,” Ye wrote at the time, adding that his mental health did not "excuse what he did." The rapper has made a number of apologies for his harmful words over the years.

Despite his tirades and having been dropped by some brands in recent years, some fans have stuck with Ye. The rapper's most recent album which dropped at the end of March is currently number one on Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop album chart and the top streaming album, while Ye himself is second on the Billboard Artist 100 chart.

Ye reportedly made $33 million performing two sold-out shows at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles last week.

In a statement issued Tuesday before his travel to the U.K. Was barred, Ye said he "would be grateful for the opportunity to meet with members of the Jewish community in the U.K. In person, to listen.

"I know words aren't enough — I'll have to show change through my actions," he said. "If you're open, I'm here."

Following the festival's cancellation, Phil Rosenberg, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said he welcomed the government's decision to bar Ye's entry.

Ye praises Hitler, Nazis in livestream interview

"Wireless has now been cancelled but it should have never reached this point," Rosenberg said in a statement. "Music festivals should be places where all communities feel welcome, not venues that platform individuals with records of profiteering from antisemitism, racism and other repulsive views."

Rosenberg had also said in a previous statement that his group was willing to meet with the rapper as part of his "journey of healing," but only if he agreed first not to play the festival.

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer added the rapper "should never have been invited to headline Wireless," adding his government stands with the Jewish community.

In recent days, festival sponsors Pepsi, Rockstar Energy and Diageo pulled out of the festival since Ye was announced as the headliner.

Festival Republic, the company behind the Wireless Festival, said in a statement that multiple stakeholders were consulted before booking Ye and "no concerns were highlighted at the time."

"Antisemitism in all its forms is abhorrent, and we recognize the real and personal impact these issues have had," the statement said.

Irish hip-hop trio Kneecap barred from entering Canada over anti-Israel activism

Festival Republic had stood by Ye. In a statement to media on Monday, managing director Melvin Benn urged people to offer the performer "forgiveness and hope."

"We are not giving him a platform to extol opinion of whatever nature, only to perform the songs that are currently played on the radio stations in our country and the streaming platforms in our country and listened to and enjoyed by millions," the statement said.

It's not the first time artists have been denied entry to a country for past comments. Last year, Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, who is a member of the Irish hip-hop group Kneecap, was barred from entering Canada at the same time that he was facing a terror-related charge in the U.K. For allegedly waving a Hezbollah flag while on stage.

The charge was later dropped because it was brought too long after the incident happened.

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