American rapper Kanye West, who now goes by Ye, has announced the postponement of his scheduled concert in Marseille, France, marking another disruption in his controversial tour. The 48-year-old artist shared on X that this decision came after careful reflection, emphasizing his desire not to place his fans in a difficult position.
Ye was set to perform on June 11 at the Orange Velodrome in Marseille. In his message, he acknowledged the time needed for people to recognize his genuine efforts to make amends, taking full responsibility for his past actions.
French authorities had expressed opposition to his appearance. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez reportedly sought to prevent Ye from performing, while Marseille’s mayor, Benoit Payan, declared in March that the rapper was unwelcome in the city.
Ye’s management and record label did not respond to inquiries outside of U.S. business hours. The rapper’s history of controversy includes being banned from Australia last July after releasing the song “Heil Hitler,” which promoted Nazism, and selling a swastika-emblazoned T-shirt on his website.
In January, Ye placed a full-page apology in the Wall Street Journal, attributing his previous behavior to an undiagnosed brain injury and untreated bipolar disorder. He also renounced his earlier admiration for Adolf Hitler.
Earlier this month, the United Kingdom denied Ye entry due to his antisemitic remarks, leading to the cancellation of his scheduled headline performance at London’s Wireless Festival in July.
Despite these setbacks, Ye has performed in the United States and Mexico City this year. Notably, a new concert date was added for June 19 in Chorzow, a city in western Poland, with additional European and Asian shows planned for the summer.
