Kanye West's show in Europe was canceled due to his antisemitic remarks

The hip hop festival Rubicon, which will be held in Bratislava, Slovakia, announced the cancellation of Kanye West's show scheduled for July 20.

The decision comes after a strong wave of public backlash triggered by the release of a song in which the American rapper glorifies Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. The concert in Bratislava had been West's only confirmed live performance in Europe for this year.

West, who legally changed his name to "Ye," sparked a new controversy on May 8 with the release of his track "Heil Hitler", coinciding with the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany's defeat in World War II. 

West's inclusion in the festival line-up prompted a swift reaction: thousands of people signed petitions demanding his exclusion. Two organizations leading the protests stated that the artist, a multiple Grammy Award winner, "repeatedly and openly adheres to symbols and ideologies associated with one of the darkest periods in modern history."

In a statement published on Instagram, Rubicon's organizers confirmed the cancellation of the show, citing "media pressure and the withdrawal of several artists and sponsors."

Rubicon, which presents itself as the leading hip hop festival in Central Europe, was scheduled from July 18 to 20. Alongside West, American rappers Offset and Sheck Wes were also listed on the line-up.

This is not the first recent consequence for West: last week, Australia canceled his visa due to his antisemitic statements.

The rapper's history with antisemitism is extensive. In 2022, he posted on the social network X (formerly Twitter) that he was going to launch a "DEFCON 3" attack against Jews, in a message that caused strong outrage. Later, he attempted to justify himself by claiming that he could not be antisemitic "because Black people are actually Jews."

His comments led multiple companies to cut ties with him, including Adidas, the CAA agency, Foot Locker, and Apple Music.