Kanye West’s upcoming gig at Italy festival sparks debate after U.K. revoked rapper’s entry over antisemitic remarks

The rapper formerly known as Kanye West being denied entry into the U.K. amid an uproar over his past antisemitic remarks has raised questions over the star’s upcoming performance in Italy this summer.

The rapper, who changed his name to Ye, was scheduled to headline the Wireless Festival in London in July, but the event was canceled after the U.K. government withdrew his authorization to enter the country on Tuesday.

“Kanye West should never have been invited to headline Wireless,” U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a statement posted to social media.

The decision was preceded by criticism over Ye releasing a song last year called “Heil Hitler” and selling T-shirts on his website featuring a swastika. In January, he apologized in a full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal and said he experienced a four-month-long manic episode that “destroyed my life.”

In northern Italy, Ye is set to headline the region’s main music event, the Hellwatt Festival, on July 18.

People in the Emilia-Romagna region where the festival is being held have raised concerns to a major labor union about Ye’s scheduled performance.

“We are listening to the many workers and citizens who have contacted us in recent days, asking for clarity on the matter,” Rosamaria Papaleo, a representative of the Italian Confederation of Workers’ Unions in Emilia-Romagna, told CBS News.

Papaleo said the concerns have centered on hosting an artist associated with antisemitic remarks in Reggio Emilia, the regional capital, which has a strong anti-fascist identity.

“It seems quite contradictory that an artist known for his antisemitic remarks can be hosted by our city, which has always strongly advocated anti-fascist values,” said Papaleo.

Reggio Emilia was awarded the Gold Medal for Military Valor in 1950 for its key role in the Italian resistance against the Nazis during World War II.

“Anti-fascism for us is not a whim, but a value rooted in our history,” Papaleo said. She emphasized that while the union does not intend to disrupt the festival, which represents an important event for workers and fans, it expects artists to promote positive values within the community.

Union representatives have asked Reggio Emilia’s mayor, Marco Massari, to require Ye to meet with members of the local Jewish community as a symbolic act of reconciliation for harm caused by his past remarks. Some critics have called for Ye to be removed from the festival’s lineup.

In a statement, Massari said he “distances himself from Kanye West’s behavior and remarks,” but added that any decision regarding the artist’s entry into the country ultimately lies with the national government. CBS News has reached out to the Italian Ministry of Internal Affairs for comment.

The mayor also stressed that Reggio Emilia is a strongly anti-fascist city, and that those who perform there must be mindful of its social and historical context. He called on festival organizers to create an occasion for dialogue between the artist and local communities that identify with those values.

Hellwatt Festival director Victor Yari Milani recognized that Ye’s past actions have “understandably led to strong reactions.”

“We want to stress that he has formally apologized, stating that he is neither a Nazi nor antisemitic, and that he suffers from bipolar disorder,” he said in a statement to CBS News. He also said, “We have asked him to also apologize to Italy. The festival’s values — respect and inclusion — are not up for debate.”

For now, no protests are planned around Ye’s performance. However, union officials warned that public reaction remains a possibility. 

Other major artists expected at the event this year include Travis Scott, Rita Ora and Martin Garrix.