Swiss soccer club FC Basel has canceled an upcoming concert from Ye, the artist formerly known as Kanye West, explaining that supporting the show was not “in accordance with our values.”
Representatives for FC Basel told Reuters that they reviewed the request for the concert and ultimately decided not to proceed with it. “FCB received an enquiry and considered it,” said the rep. “However, after thorough review, we have decided not to proceed with the project, as we cannot, in accordance with our values, provide a platform for the artist in question within this context.”
FC Basel, which stages concerts and events at St. Jakob-Park, is the latest in a growing line of Ye concerts that have either been postponed or canceled. On Friday, Ye’s concert at Slaski Stadium in Chorzów, Poland, was canceled due to “formal and legal reasons,” according to stadium director Adam Strzyzewski. Poland’s culture minister Marta Cienkoska had spoken out against the show, deeming it “unacceptable.”
“The decision to organize a Kanye West concert in Poland is unacceptable,” she wrote on X. “We are talking about an artist who has publicly made antisemitic views, downplayed crimes and profited from selling swastika T-shirts. These are not ‘controversies’. This is a deliberate crossing of boundaries and the normalization of hatred.”
Earlier this month, Ye postponed his Marseille concert after France considered banning him. “After much thought and consideration, it is my sole decision to postpone my show in Marseille, France until further notice,” he wrote on X. “I know it takes time to understand the sincerity of my commitment to make amends. I take full responsibility for what’s mine but I don’t want to put my fans in the middle of it. My fans are everything to me. Looking forward to the next shows. See you at the top of the globe.”
Ye performed two sold-out concerts at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium earlier this month. Shortly after, he was denied entry to the U.K. for a headlining performance at Wireless Festival, which was subsequently canceled.
Leave a Reply