London Mayor Makes It Clear City Government Doesn’t Support Kanye Headlining Wireless Festival, Rapper’s First U.K. Concerts In 11 Years: His Past Actions Are Offensive & Wrong

Kanye West

London Mayor Makes It Clear City Government Doesn’t Support Kanye Headlining Wireless Festival, Rapper’s First U.K. Concerts In 11 Years: His Past Actions Are Offensive & Wrong

Does an apology really erase the damage done?

#KanyeWest’s planned return to the U.K. stage is drawing criticism from city officials. As excitement builds for his first concerts in London in over a decade, a spokesperson for Mayor Sadiq Khan made it clear that City Hall is not backing the performances. “We are clear that the past comments and actions of this artist are offensive and wrong,” the statement read, adding they are “not reflective of London’s values.” Officials also stressed that the concerts were not organized or approved by the city, noting, “This was a decision taken by the festival organisers and not one that City Hall is involved in.”

The shows are part of the upcoming #WirelessFestival at Finsbury Park from July 10–12, marking #Kanye’s first U.K. performances in roughly 11 years. The backlash largely stems from Kanye’s past antisemitic remarks, something we’ve covered extensively on our website if you need a refresher.

Earlier this year, #Kanye issued an open letter apologizing to those he’s hurt. “I lost touch with reality,” he wrote. “Things got worse the longer I ignored the problem. I said and did things I deeply regret. Some of the people I love the most, I treated the worst.” While some believe the apology was just Kanye’s way of clearing the air before he dropped his recently released album Bully, others felt it reflected genuine accountability.

#TJBCrew, what do you think? Is it time to move forward, or are there moments where an apology just isn’t enough?