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The artist formerly known as Kanye West still had something to smile about on Tuesday evening – just hours after the Home Office banned him from flying to the UK for a headline appearance at Wireless Festival.
The controversial rapper, who now refers to himself as Ye, had been the marquee signing at Wireless, which has since been cancelled amid calls for the annual celebration of urban music to be indefinitely axed over its decision to overlook West’s track record of anti-semitism.
While beleaguered organisers issued an apologetic statement on Tuesday, the man at the heart of the controversy appeared to be nonplussed during an appearance at a comedy club in Los Angeles.
A grinning West, 48, was onstage at local venue The Lab At Hollywood Improv, where he was joined by actor Deon Cole and comedian Ocean Glapion for an improvised set, during which he was lauded as the ‘modern day Michael Jackson‘ for his contributions to contemporary music.
Taking to Instagram after the show, a star-struck Glapion wrote: ‘Last night was one of the most amazing and memorable nights! Got to be on stage with 2 legends!!!’
The post drew an inevitably mixed response from followers, with one commenting: ‘We shouldn’t normalize someone who sold swastika T-shirts and called himself a Nazi…’
A second, referring to West’s recent public apology and well documented struggle with mental health issues, added: ‘I hope he finds his mental health, peace, and love… but he apologized right before dropping and album and trying to book concerts.’
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the Gold Digger rapper, who has used Nazi imagery and faced accusations of antisemitism, should never have been invited to headline Wireless, which takes place annually in London.
The headline sets provoked calls for the rapper to be banned from the UK because of behaviour, which has included releasing a song called Heil Hitler and advertising a swastika T-shirt for sale on his website.
West made an application to travel to the UK on Monday via an electronic travel authorisation, but the Home Office stopped him on the grounds that his presence in the UK would “not be conducive to the public good”, the Press Association understands.
West’s ETA was initially granted online before ministers intervened, it is understood.
The Prime Minister said: ‘Kanye West should never have been invited to headline Wireless.
‘This Government stands firmly with the Jewish community and we will not stop in our fight to confront and defeat the poison of antisemitism.
‘We will always take the action necessary to protect the public and uphold our values.’
A statement from organiser Festival Republic confirmed: ‘The Home Office has withdrawn Ye’s ETA (electronic travel authorisation), denying him entry into the United Kingdom.
‘As a result, Wireless Festival is cancelled and refunds will be issued to all ticket-holders.
‘As with every Wireless Festival, multiple stakeholders were consulted in advance of booking Ye and no concerns were highlighted at the time.
‘Anti-semitism in all its forms is abhorrent, and we recognise the real and personal impact these issues have had.
‘As Ye said today, he acknowledges that words alone are not enough, and in spite of this still hopes to be given the opportunity to begin a conversation with the Jewish community in the UK.’
The rapper had offered to meet the British Jewish community before his show.
He said in a statement before the Government’s decision was announced: ‘I’ve been following the conversation around Wireless and want to address it directly.
‘My only goal is to come to London and present a show of change, bringing unity, peace, and love through my music.
‘I would be grateful for the opportunity to meet with members of the Jewish community in the UK in person, to listen.
‘I know words aren’t enough – I’ll have to show change through my actions. If you’re open, I’m here.’
Presale tickets for Wireless Festival were released at 12pm on Tuesday and are believed to have sold out, while the general sale was due to open at 12pm on Wednesday.
The Community Security Trust (CST), which aims to protect British Jews from antisemitism, described the Government’s decision as “a sensible outcome to what has been yet another bruising episode for British Jews”.
Its statement added: ‘Anti-Jewish hatred should have no place in society and cultural leaders have a role to play in ensuring that is the case.
‘People who show genuine and meaningful remorse for previous anti-semitic behaviour will always receive a sympathetic hearing from the Jewish community, but that process must come before this kind of public rehabilitation.’
The Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) said the Government had made “the right decision”.
In a statement, it added: “When it (the Government) said that antisemitism has no place in the UK, it backed up its words with action.
‘Someone who has boasted of making tens of millions of dollars from selling swastika T-shirts and who released a song called ‘Heil Hitler’ just months ago clearly would not be conducive to the public good in the UK.”
Phil Rosenberg, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, had said the group would be willing to meet West if he pulled out of Wireless.
Rosenberg said: ‘It has been less than a year since Kanye West released a song entitled Heil Hitler, the culmination of three years of appalling antisemitism.
‘He also made a number of deeply offensive comments about the black community, saying that the 400-year experience of slavery was “like a choice”.
‘Even while claiming remorse today, his latest album includes a track first released last year with the abhorrent title Gas Chamber.’
He continued: ‘The Jewish community will want to see a genuine remorse and change before believing that the appropriate place to test this sincerity is on the main stage at the Wireless Festival.
‘As such, we are willing to meet Kanye West as part of his journey of healing, but only after he agrees not to play the Wireless Festival for this year.’
