Kanye West to perform in Russia despite cultural boycott of country

Kanye West is set to perform in Russia, despite the widespread cultural boycott of the country over its invasion of Ukraine.

Since Russian forces invaded Ukraine in 2022, there has been a widespread refusal amongst artists to perform in the country. Now, however, Kanye West has announced plans to play two shows in St Petersburg later this year.

Announced yesterday (Monday August 17), West is set to head to Russia for shows at the Gazprom Arena on October 10 and 11. Already, tickets have sold out, just hours after going on sale. According to BBC News, tickets for the 70,000 capacity gig ranged from 9,000 roubles (£78) to 160,000 roubles (£1,394).

In response to the two new tour dates, Russian lawmaker Vitaly Milonov suggests that the rapper should perform traditional Russian songs at the event, instead of his usual setlist. “Maybe after this he’ll stop his disgusting antics and become a normal person,” he added in a video statement (as per The New York Times).

Kanye West Will Perform In Russia, Venue Sayshttps://t.co/29fdVbzjab pic.twitter.com/vKvfGWMwa8

— Forbes (@Forbes) August 17, 2026

The tour will come as part of his ongoing, controversial comeback tour, which kicked off at SoFi Stadium in California back in April, and has since seen him play in the Netherlands and Turkey. For the latter, Ye claimed that he drew 118,000 people to his Instanbul show and break the record for the largest stadium performance.

While shows in Albania, Spain, Portugal and Chicago are still set to go ahead as planned, many of the dates have been cancelled due to the rapper’s history of anti-Semitic comments and use of Nazi imagery.

In April, Wireless Festival cancelled its 2026 event after the UK government blocked Ye from entering the country. He had been booked to headline all three nights of the London festival.

Ye’s planned shows in Poland and Switzerland were also cancelled amid backlash, while a French date was postponed and an Italian show was pulled over safety concerns.

Also this summer, Florida Senator Rick Scott unsuccessfully urged the Tampa Sports Authority to cancel Ye’s two June shows, and the mayor of San Antonio also failed to get his show at the city’s Alamodome on July 4 scrapped.

JUST IN: Kanye West is set to perform in Russia for the first time, with two concerts scheduled for October 10 and 11 at St. Petersburg’s Gazprom Arena, according to organizer Say Agency. pic.twitter.com/HXKrSuIiob

— Brian McDonald (@BrianMcDonaldIE) August 17, 2026

West’s history of making anti-Semitic remarks dates back to 2022, when he made a series of offensive comments on social media. Those comments saw his accounts on both Instagram and Twitter suspended, and the musician was dropped by his lawyer, talent agency and record label, along with fashion brands such as Balenciaga and Adidas.

At first, West gave several interviews in which he refused to apologise for making the comments, while suggesting that Jewish people should “forgive Hitler”. However, in 2023, West delivered an apology to the Jewish community, and then blamed alcohol for his behaviour the following year.

In the wake of that initial apology, numerous lawsuits were filed against the rapper with claims of extensive anti-Semitic behaviour. One former employee alleged that the rapper said Jewish people were “working together to hold him back”. Another former employee claimed he used anti-Semitic language in the workplace and praised Hitler – something for which he allegedly paid a settlement for.

In 2024, a separate ex-employee accused him of being openly anti-Semitic in front of his staff.

West also shared a number of highly controversial posts in early 2025, revoking an apology he previously made to the Jewish community and then declaring himself “a Nazi”.

The rapper then claimed on X/Twitter that, “after further reflection”, he’d “come to the realisation that I’m not a Nazi”, however, this was followed only a few days later by yet more swastika apparel appearing on his X page.

In January, Ye published a full-page advertisement in the Wall Street Journal apologising for anti-Semitic and other offensive comments. In the letter, he linked his behaviour to mental health struggles and said he was committed to accountability, treatment and change.

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