Rapper Kanye West, also known as “Ye,” has postponed his upcoming concert in Marseille, France.
He made the announcement on Tuesday night through the social media platform X. The move comes as French authorities are considering options to prevent him from performing in the country.
The office of French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez has confirmed that it is exploring whether West can be barred from performing in Marseille, the oldest city in France. With that pressure mounting, West decided to delay his concert “until further notice.”
In his statement, West said, “After much thought and consideration, it is my personal decision to postpone my show in Marseille, France until further notice.” He didn’t say why, but the timing lines up with government-level talks about blocking him.
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Marseille Mayor Benoît Payan had earlier expressed opposition to West’s planned performance. In a post on X dated March 4, he said he would not allow Marseille to become a platform for those who promote hatred or Nazi ideology. He clearly stated that West was not welcome at the city’s major stadium, the Vélodrome, which he described as “a symbol of living together and of all Marseillais.”
Even with the pushback, banning an artist from performing in France isn’t easy. According to the French newspaper Le Monde, citing the country’s highest administrative court, a concert can only be banned under strict conditions. These include situations where statements made during the event could amount to a criminal offense and pose a threat to public order.
According to reports, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez met last week with Mayor Payan and Jacques Witkowski, the prefect of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region. The meeting focused on possible ways to prevent West from performing in Marseille.
Meanwhile, West has faced similar controversy elsewhere in Europe. On April 7, the United Kingdom government denied him entry into the country. He had been scheduled to headline London’s Wireless Festival in July.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer responded to the decision by saying that West “should not have been invited to perform in the first place,” citing the artist’s past antisemitic remarks.
After that, sponsors associated with the Wireless Festival withdrew their support. West later issued a statement saying he was open to meeting with leaders of the local Jewish community. However, amid the ongoing developments, the festival was ultimately canceled.
With things unraveling on both sides of the Channel, Kanye West’s Marseille concert is now postponed with no new date set, and his European tour plans remain in limbo.
