Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, announced Wednesday he is postponing his planned June concert in Marseille, France, after French authorities signaled they would seek to block the event.
“After much thought and consideration, it is my sole decision to postpone my show in Marseille, France until further notice,” Ye wrote on X. In a follow-up post, he added that he did not want to “put my fans in the middle of it.”
French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez had been exploring options to ban the June 11 show at the Orange Velodrome stadium, according to his office. Marseille Mayor Benoit Payan had also spoken out against the visit, writing on social media that he refused to let the city serve as a platform for those who promote hatred.
“Kanye West is not welcome at the Vélodrome, our temple of community and home to all Marseillais,” Mr. Payan said.
The Marseille retreat follows a ban earlier this month that barred Ye from entering the United Kingdom, where he had been set to headline the Wireless Festival in London in July. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said at the time that the government “stands firmly with the Jewish community, and we will not stop in our fight to confront and defeat the poison of antisemitism.”
Ye has faced mounting international opposition amid a string of antisemitic statements and provocations, including releasing a song titled “Heil Hitler” and selling swastika-emblazoned merchandise. Australia revoked his visa last year following the song’s release.
In January, Ye took out a Wall Street Journal advertisement expressing regret for his antisemitic conduct and attributing it to untreated bipolar disorder — though he had previously apologized for similar behavior in 2023 before rescinding that apology and declaring himself a Nazi in early 2025.
Despite the European setbacks, Ye’s broader tour continues. He is scheduled to perform in New Delhi and Istanbul in May, and two nights in Arnhem, Netherlands, in June, among other dates. Dutch authorities have so far declined to bar him from the country, though Jewish groups and some politicians there have called for cancellations.
Ye recently completed two sold-out shows at SoFi Stadium near Los Angeles — his first full live performances in the United States since 2021, according to the New York Times — tied to the release of his new album, “Bully.”
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