# Russia cancels Kanye West: St Petersburg stadium abruptly scraps plans for performance by shamed rapper – as politician condemns star’s ‘disgusting antics’

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/russia-cancels-kanye-west-st-petersburg-stadium-abruptly-scraps-plans-for-performance-by-shamed-rapper-as-politician-condemns-stars-disgusting-antics/
- Published: 2026-08-26T00:37:07+00:00
- Updated: 2026-08-26T06:43:28+00:00
- Original publisher: Daily Mail (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16078317/Russia-cancels-Kanye-West-performance.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
- Topics: Celebrity, Entertainment, Europe, Music, World

## Key points

- Gazprom Arena cancelled Kanye West's October St Petersburg concerts, citing no signed contract.
- Promoter Say Agency disputed the cancellation, saying preparations continued as planned.
- Shows would have been Russia's first major Western concert since 2022 invasion.

## Summary

A stadium in St Petersburg abruptly cancelled Kanye West's planned shows, dealing a setback to what would have been the first major Western concert in Russia since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Gazprom Arena stated via Instagram that it had never signed a rental contract for the venue and had received complaints about the event, meaning the concerts could not go ahead there, while Moscow-based promoter Say Agency insisted the shows had not been called off. No further developments emerged after the initial dispute, leaving the concerts' status unresolved amid the conflicting statements.

The sold-out performances had been scheduled for St Petersburg on 10 and 11 October, forming part of an apparent comeback attempt by the rapper, who now performs as Ye, following widely condemned antisemitic remarks, including a song titled "Heil Hitler" and swastika-branded merchandise, for which he apologised in January, attributing the episode to his bipolar disorder. Russian conservative lawmaker Vitaly Milonov criticised the rapper's "disgusting antics" and suggested he should instead perform traditional Russian songs, reflecting continued backlash against the star even as promoters sought to press ahead with the booking.

## Coverage

- [Daily Mail: Russia cancels Kanye West: St Petersburg stadium abruptly scraps plans for performance by shamed rapper – as politician condemns star’s ‘disgusting antics’](https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16078317/Russia-cancels-Kanye-West-performance.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490)
- [NME: Russian stadium says Kanye West gigs “cannot take place”](https://www.nme.com/news/music/russian-stadium-says-kanye-west-gigs-cannot-take-place-3964626?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=russian-stadium-says-kanye-west-gigs-cannot-take-place)
- [Consequence: Kanye West’s Russia Concerts Canceled After Contract Dispute, Venue Says](https://consequence.net/2026/08/kanye-west-russia-concerts-canceled/)

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.