Kanye West, the rapper whose antisemitic comments have led to calls for a ban from an upcoming UK festival appearance, has offered to meet the British Jewish community.
The US star, who now calls himself Ye, has written a letter in which he says he must “show change” – an update to an apology he made in the Wall Street Journal earlier this year.
It follows the huge backlash to Wireless Festival announcing him as headliner for the event in London in July. Several sponsors have pulled out and there have been calls for the government to deny West entry to the UK.
The rapper, 48, has not performed in the UK since his headline slot at Glastonbury in 2015. In the years since then, he has drawn criticism for antisemitic posts on social media, a Super Bowl advert directing people to a swastika T-shirt, and a song referencing Hitler.
“I’ve been following the conversation around Wireless and want to address it directly,” the rapper said. “My only goal is to come to London and present a show of change, bringing unity, peace, and love through music.
“I would be grateful for the opportunity to meet with members of the Jewish community in the UK in person, to listen. I know words aren’t enough – I’ve have to show change through my actions. If you’re open, I’m here. With Love.”
After days of mounting pressure over the booking, Wireless promoter Festival Republic defended the planned performance in a statement issued on Monday evening.
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Managing director Melvin Benn described West’s previous comments as “abhorrent” but asked “people to reflect … and offer some forgiveness and hope to him as I have decided to do”.
West’s music is also played on commercial radio stations and available to stream “without comment or vitriol from anyone”, Mr Benn also pointed out, adding: “He has a legal right to come into the country and to perform in this country.”
On Tuesday, Health Secretary Wes Streeting told Sky News he is “disappointed” that the organisers have booked West, saying they are “too blind” to see the dangers of their decision.
Asked if West should be allowed into the UK to peform, he replied: “That’s a decision for the Home Office and I’m not going to prejudice their decision about this case.
“What I would say is that Kanye West has no business headlining the Wireless Festival. I think organisers showed a terrible error of judgement in inviting him.
“These weren’t a couple of off colour remarks. These were, I think, a pattern of behaviour.”
Mr Streeting said antisemitism and “hatred” against Jewish people in the UK has been rising.
“We’ve seen it manifesting itself not just through online behaviour, verbal abuse, but through physical attacks, including in Heaton Park in Manchester, where people died at the hands of that attack. We saw it more recently with an attack on a charity in north London, a Jewish charity that runs an ambulance service.
“Antisemitism is serious, it can be deadly and people like Kanye West, who have an enormous platform, fame, reach, they have to accept the responsibility that comes with that. And I don’t think he has. I’m only too disappointed the festival organisers are too blind to see it.”
It is understood permission for West to come into the country is currently being reviewed by the Home Office.
Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) has backed calls for the government to prevent West from entering the UK and other Jewish groups have also criticised Festival Republic’s support for the star.
Phil Rosenberg, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said Mr Benn’s statement would not “reassure many within the Jewish or other communities against whom Kanye West’s invective was directed over a much longer period than his more recent apology”.
He added: “It is time for Wireless to do the decent thing and rescind an invitation they never should have offered. Kanye West may well be on the path to health and healing. We sincerely hope that he is. But the space to test this is not over three days on the Wireless main stage.”
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When he issued his letter apologising in January, West blamed his behaviour on his bipolar-1 disorder, something he said resulted from a car accident 25 years ago.
“I lost touch with reality,” he said. “Things got worse the longer I ignored the problem. I said and did things I deeply regret.”
Wireless announced West as its headliner last week, with the rapper set to top the bill for all three nights of the event. Sponsors including Pepsi and Diageo pulled out at the weekend – and Sir Keir Starmer described the booking as “deeply concerning“.
