Kanye West has announced he will postpone a scheduled concert in France, shortly after reports emerged that the French interior minister plans to ban the American rapper from the stage over his anti-Semitic remarks.
“After much thought and consideration, it is my sole decision to postpone my concert in Marseille, France until further notice”said the rapper, according to The Guardian.
A source close to Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez told AFP on Tuesday that he is “decided” to ban the concert on June 11, scheduled at the Vélodrome stadium in Marseille, and that it explores “all possibilities”.
The 48-year-old rapper has been heavily criticized for making anti-Semitic statements and expressing admiration for Adolf Hitler.
Britain banned the American artist from entering the country because of his performances, prompting organizers of the Wireless festival, where he was due to headline in July, to cancel the entire event. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described West’s schedule as fair “deeply worrying”.
Instead, the Dutch Minister for Asylum and Migration, Bart van den Brink, said last week that there were currently no plans to ban the artist from entering the Netherlands.
The French source said Nuñez discussed the possible ban on the concert with the regional prefect and the mayor of Marseille during his visit to the city last week.
Last month, Benoît Payan, the city’s left-wing mayor, said he opposed the controversial artist’s visit, saying he refused “to allow Marseilles to be a showcase for those who promote hatred and unreserved Nazism”.
“Kanye West is not welcome at the Vélodrome, our temple of coexistence and belonging to all Marseilles”Payan wrote on X.
In May 2025, the rapper released a song titled “Heil Hitler”, months after promoting a swastika T-shirt on his website.
The song was banned by major streaming platforms. West later expressed regret for his behavior, blaming it on his bipolar disorder.
Before his shows at the Wireless festival were cancelled, West said he was willing to meet with London’s Jewish community to try to fix the situation.
“I know words aren’t enough – I’ll have to show change through my actions”he stated.
