(Feel free to move this if this is in the wrong place, but it is getting a lot of news coverage atm)

Kanye West's has been controversially booked to headline all three nights at Wireless festival in July, when little over a year ago he has been rather openly anti-semetic, praising Hitler and offering merchandise saying the same. It hasn't gone down particularly well, to put it lightly, with the prime minister saying it's a deeply concerning booking, huge sponsors like Pepsi pulling out and even some talk about whether he can re-enter the UK. West has apologised since the statements and has put it down to his bipolar condition and states he's in a better place. The festival organisers have stood by him for now, but the pressure's mounting.

What's your takes on this, should art and artist be separated when it comes to booking acts or is this going just a bit too far?

I think its way too soon to put Kanye West as a headliner after everything. Like they didn't have anyone else?

I don't think Wireless should be standing by him? Their defence is abysmal, "oh he should be allowed to play because he said sorry". How about holding artists accountable for what they've done? I appreciate he says (emphasis on the "says" as we cannot prove this) he was in a bad place due to his bipolar but he still went on a social media platform and said horrible anti-semetic stuff. Wireless are okay with this? Nahhhh. Also why is he headlining all 3 days!

I am not surprised corporations are pulling out of the event as a result of Kanye headlining, they would feel guilty by association and certainly don't want to appear supportive of something like this.

Wireless always has to have some controversy around it and yet people still turn up in their droves regardless of who is playing which just makes it one huge cash grab that seemingly has no morals. There were calls yesterday for the whole thing to be cancelled. To be fair, if they don't drum up new sponsors they probably won't be able to sustain the event.

Wireless has always been a bit scuffed when it comes to its festival I remember one year they didn't really have much female acts or lack of female headliners (tbf that's not wireless exclusive that's often a problem in festival culture) but this is a whole another level; having Kanye as a headliner like not even a couple years (or even a year) after those kinds of posts from him is just baffling. I am not surprised corporations are pulling out at all.

My favourite part is their statement;

"only to perform songs that are currently played on radio and streaming platforms and "listened to and enjoyed by millions". I cant speak for other radio stations but I know found out the other day Radio 1 hasn't played any Kanye at all in the last couple of years or so. So that statement seems a bit untrue.

I was reading the BBC article earlier and this jumped out at me.

The Campaign Against Antisemitism also suggested West should pull out of the event.

"Mr West has previously made apologies right before album releases and concert tours and then retracted the apology and reverted to type. We need to be persuaded that this time is will be different,"

Basically he's got form for this and doesn't deserve another chance, byeee.

I do agree that Wireless really mucked up here - they were clearly looking for controversy with that headline spot, and it's really backfired, one night they might have got away with, but all three is ridiculous when they only did that once last year (arguably also fairly controversial with Drake headlining, although not on the same scale as this). I can't see how they'll keep this going with all these sponsors pulling out.

He's an artist that has long become too foul a person for me to really separate it from his music, but he is very mentally unwell too, I don't believe he's beyond redemption, but I do think it's too soon for him to headline a festival, especially as his HH comments were only last year. I think he'd need to do a lot more to convince the public that he's really changed.

Ed Davey was calling for West to be barred from entering the country last week.

If West's only offence was to make anti-semitic remarks that would be bad enough. However, he went further than that by endorsing merchandise with the same message. That's a long-term thing, not an off-the-cuff remark.

how is he even a headliner does wireless even follow popular music (not just pop but also indie, rock, alt, electronic, hip-hop etc.) these days 😭😭😭

Well that was timing to start this thread!

BBC News

Kanye West travel to UK blocked by government

West was due to headline London's Wireless Festival in July but drew criticism over past antisemitic comments.

This will probably be one of those situations where the free market will end up dictating the situation. Already it's had an effect with two major sponsors pulling out, which will already hit the Wireless organisers in their pocket (particularly given how hard it is to put on a concert these days, the economics of putting on one has become near improbable due to increasing costs and regulations). There will be the down-bill effect as well - I imagine there will be quite a few artists that will be hesitant to play on the bill with him, even if it's on a different day, which means that finding other performers will be harder, and those that do will be able to command a higher fee as a result. The question will be whether this will lead to increased ticket sales or not - no publicity is good publicity in most cases, and Wireless has just been handed wall-to-wall coverage in the press for the past week, for better or worse. Whether the additional ticket sales gained from the publicity will offset those who may have considered going remains to be seen - it will be interesting to see how quickly it sells out, if it does at all.

As for Mister West himself - whilst I am willing to forgive those who have sinned, even if the sins are as monumental in relation to his gross anti-Semitic outbursts, in a public facing position like entertainers he'll need to do a lot more to convince that his confessions are genuine, and take public actions that match his professed sorrow. I also don't agree with baring him from entering the UK (which has now been confirmed); by doing so you just run the risk of making him a martyr.

11 minutes ago, uhsting said:

how is he even a headliner does wireless even follow popular music (not just pop but also indie, rock, alt, electronic, hip-hop etc.) these days 😭😭😭

I'd say musically he is most certainly headliner worthy. Even last year he was in the top 25 most streamed artists of the world and his back catalogue is consistently streamed phenomenally (Graduation was in the top 5 rap albums of last year, having been released 2 decades ago!). His legacy is undeniable and he still streams incredibly well - there aren't many artists with a career as illustrious as his, still making music.

For me, he is the greatest living male artist musically - his albums speak for themselves.

As a person, his actions recently have been harrowing and I will never ever defend them. I have been able to separate the artist from the art because at least his first 8 albums remain some of my favourite collections ever made but as a person I can't defend him.

Being a huge Kanye music fan puts me in such a unique position because while I stream his music constantly I have to also resent, disagree and hate him as a person - his bipolar condition will have had an impact on his actions but it is not an excuse and free-pass by any means. It has also led to some of his most creative music outputs - I so wish he channelled his pain and hurt into that so much more than he did.

It is correct for sponsors to pull out and take a stand and given it looks like it is to be cancelled, I think it is for their best because of how triggering it would've been to see him headlining so soon after the comments.

I agree it will take a lot more to reach forgiveness - I hope he starts the long, winding journey to that and sticks to it.

His apology was hollow and without any substance. He has a proven track record of apologising in the past and then going on to do/say the exact thing he was apologising for shortly after so it's 100% clear he still holds these reprehensible views and the fact he's blaming it on a mental disorder is appalling.

The Home Office has officially banned Kanye West from entering the UK. Thank god we don't have to put up with him here.

I think it's right for him not to be allowed entry to perform at the festival. I can understand that his bipolar disorder may have influenced his state of mind, but his pro-Nazi and pro-Hitler tweets were over an extended period of time, and it went even further beyond that - the songs, the merchandise, etc. There's a hell of a lot of repentance that needs to happen and wounds take time to heal, especially given this was just about the worst rabbit hole he could've gone down. This in addition to previous controversial behaviour makes an apology feel like a plaster over a crack. Ultimately I believe we should be listening to the Jewish community first and foremost about whether it's time to forgive, and whether it should be so easy for him to pick up where he left off commercially.

I agree that Wireless knew what they were doing and were skirting controversy. It also saddens me because so many artists, largely women, have been cancelled for far less - take Janet Jackson at the Super Bowl, for instance - yet Kanye was able to be booked as the headline act at a huge festival for three nights. It's brazen from his side and insensitive at best on Wireless' side.

The whole festival has been cancelled now~

I'm a little surprised they cancelled the whole thing. Seemingly there was no back up plan.

One of the biggest own goals in entertainment history.

Seperating art from the artist shouldn’t even be a conversation when said artist will continue to profit from said “art”. It’s such a weak argument nowadays and kinda feels like an excuse.

I will never disagree with anyone if they want to argue that he is the greatest musician ever etc.. coz he’s quite clearly a phenomenal talent and although his music isn’t usually to my tastes, he has a strong following and a LOT of people believe he is as good as he believes/says he is.

But after all he’s done as a human being, why would I want to invest further in his career and help/contribute to line his pockets? Why would I want to reward him?

He’s passed the point of redemption imo.

3 minutes ago, Hassaan said:

I'm a little surprised they cancelled the whole thing. Seemingly there was no back up plan.

Didn’t 4 of their sponsors pull out?? I imagine it would have been hard to get sponsors as late as this.

LOL cancelled already