Hip Hop/Rap
Wireless festival vows to return after being axed following Kanye West boycott
Wireless festival says it will return next year after being cancelled over Kanye West’s antisemitism row and his blocked entry into the UK.
Wireless festival plans to return after being axed this year due to headliner Kanye West's antisemitic remarks.
The controversial rapper was booked to headline three nights at the London event and the whole event was axed after the star was blocked from entering the UK by the Home Office.
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer defended the decision not to let West enter the country.
In a post on X, he wrote: "This government stands firmly with the Jewish community, and we will not stop in our fight to confront and defeat the poison of antisemitism.
"We will always take the action necessary to protect the public and uphold our values."
The festival's boss, Melvin Benn, has since said he's "very confident" that they can revive the urban music festival as she doubled down on the importance of "forgiveness".
He told NME: “Timing, I think, is an important lesson. I would hope that other people learn the lesson of forgiveness, because forgiveness is an important part of being a decent human being, in my view. So I do think that is a lesson, but that’s not my lesson.
“I think timing is an important one, but Wireless will return. We’re very confident about that.”
Several sponsors - including Pepsi - pulled out as partners of Wireless.
The cancellation came despite West’s vow to bring “peace and love” to Wireless.
In a statement, he said he had been watching the reaction to his appearance and wanted to address it directly.
He explained that his goal was to come to London and “present a show of change”, adding that he hoped to bring unity through his music.
He also said he would welcome the chance to meet members of the UK’s Jewish community, stressing that he understands words alone are not enough and that he must demonstrate change through his actions.
West - who also goes by Ye - faced widespread backlash in recent years for making antisemitic comments and expressing admiration for Adolf Hitler, even releasing a track titled Heil Hitler and selling a T‑shirt featuring a swastika on his website.
He later issued an apology in a full‑page Wall Street Journal advert, writing that he is “not a Nazi or an antisemite” and declaring his love for Jewish people.
He has since attributed his behaviour to a severe manic episode in early 2025, saying he lost touch with reality and deeply regrets the things he said and did.
Benn, managing director of Festival Republic, defended the decision to keep West on the bill before the ban.
He described himself as a lifelong anti‑fascist and said he had lived on a kibbutz in the 1970s that was later attacked.
He emphasised his support for Jewish people and the Jewish state, while also backing a Palestinian state.
Benn said West’s previous comments were “abhorrent” to him, but argued that the rapper’s music is already widely available in the UK and that he has a legal right to perform.
He added that Wireless was not providing West with a platform to express political views, only to perform songs already streamed by millions.
He urged the public to consider the value of forgiveness, saying that offering people a second chance is becoming a “lost virtue” in an increasingly divided world.
