London’s Wireless Festival Defends Kanye West Headliner Booking Amid Sponsors’ Exit

Kanye West

London-based hip-hop festival, Wireless, has been embroiled in controversy since announcing that Kanye West would headline this year’s event. But festival organisers defend the decision, calling on the public to find some “forgiveness.”

In May 2025, West, who now performs under the name Ye, released a song called Heil Hitler and subsequently sold t-shirts with swastikas on them. Those events followed years of anti-Semitic commentary from the rapper, which led to his ban from social media platforms such as Instagram and X (formerly known as Twitter).

Ye was dropped by Adidas and his record label, Def Jam Recordings, in October 2022. In December 2022, he appeared on Alex Jones’s InfoWars, where he explicitly and repeatedly affirmed his admiration for Hitler and denied that the holocaust ever happened.

Earlier this year, however, West walked back his past comments and actions by sharing an apology in a full-page advertisement in the Wall Street Journal.

In the apology, he wrote that he was “not a Nazi or an anti-Semite,” citing his diagnosis of bipolar disorder for his spiral into controversial behaviours over the years. He said he was “deeply mortified” by his actions.

The Anti-Defamation League called Ye’s apology “long overdue,” while Disturbed frontman David Draiman thanked Ye for apologising, but said, “it doesn’t undo the damage done.”

Following the recent announcement that West would headline this year’s Wireless Festival, held in July, the BBC notes that sponsors such as Pepsi, Rockstar Energy, and Diageo withdrew from supporting the event.

Melvin Benn, Managing Director of Wireless Festival’s parent company, Festival Republic, has encouraged punters to find forgiveness for West.

“Forgiveness and giving people a second chance are becoming a lost virtue in this ever-increasing, divisive world,” Benn said.

In a statement, he added that Ye hasn’t been booked to “extol opinion of whatever nature,” but he has been booked to perform songs that are “listened to and enjoyed by millions.”

Benn continued, “I would ask people to reflect on their instant comments of disgust at the likelihood of him performing (as was mine) and offer some forgiveness and hope to him as I have decided to do.”

Benn also stated that Ye has a “legal right to come into the country and to perform in this country.”

Criticism against his booking has included commentary from Jewish groups across the UK and the country’s politicians—including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

In a statement, Starmer said West headlining the festival is “deeply concerning” and described antisemitism as “abhorrent.” The BBC also reports that ministers are “considering” giving the rapper permission to enter the UK—he was refused entry to Australia last year.