Kanye West's upcoming concert in Italy has been cancelled due to "public order and safety issues." The 48-year-old rapper, who rebranded as Ye in 2021, was scheduled to headline the Pulse of Gaia Festival at RCF Arena in Reggio Emilia on July 18. However, city prefect Salvatore Angieri prohibited the event following concerns raised by the local Jewish community regarding West's previous antisemitic remarks.
A source close to Ye has disputed these claims, according to the Mirror. Additionally, a show planned for July 17 featuring fellow American rapper Travis Scott at the Hellwatt Festival has also been scrapped, as the two events were booked on consecutive dates.
Scott previously faced severe backlash after ten people, aged nine to 27, tragically died at his Astroworld festival in Houston, Texas, in 2021 due to a crowd surge.
Official Statement on Cancellation
A translated statement from Reggio Emilia authorities following a meeting to decide the concerts' fate read: "The meeting was dedicated to examining the public order and safety issues associated with the American artist's concert and the Travis Scott event, also scheduled at the RCF Arena." It continued: "Based on the assessments made during the committee meeting and further investigations into safety and security aspects, the prefect ordered the prohibition of both concerts."
The decision concerns two events scheduled for consecutive dates at RCF Arena, a venue with a capacity of approximately 103,000 spectators, and was made to ensure public order and safety. The statement noted: "Given the close temporal connection between the events and the large crowds expected within 24 hours. The overall assessment also took into account the cancellation of previous concerts by the American rapper in other countries and the real risk of counter-demonstrations."
Previous Controversies
In April, West's performance in Marseille, France, was called off after he was refused entry to the UK earlier that month, resulting in the scrapping of his headline slots at London's Wireless Festival amid fury over antisemitic comments. West dropped a track called Heil Hitler in 2025 and previously sold a swastika T-shirt on his website. He has also faced fierce criticism for posting antisemitic tweets and claiming slavery was "a choice."
In January, West purchased a full-page advertisement in the Wall Street Journal to issue an apology, headlined "To Those I've Hurt." He wrote: "I am not a Nazi or an antisemite. I love Jewish people." He explained that his bipolar disorder caused him to spiral into "a four-month-long, manic episode of psychotic, paranoid and impulsive behaviour that destroyed my life."
Following the cancellation of his Wireless gigs, West pledged to meet London's Jewish community "to listen." West has achieved three number one singles and three chart-topping albums in the UK, with hits including Black Skinhead, Gold Digger, and Stronger. Scott has secured five UK top ten singles and one number one album with Utopia.
West is scheduled to perform at Istanbul's Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Turkey this Saturday and remains set to perform at Vitesse Arnhem's Gelredome football stadium in the Netherlands on June 6 and 8. Both Scott and West have been approached for comment.
