Ye had apologized last year for his antisemitic comments and attributed them to suffering from bipolar disorder|Jason Persse|CC BY-SA 2.0
London’s Wireless Festival is facing an existential crisis as several top sponsors pulled out following the controversial decision to book Ye (previously known as Kanye West) as its July headliner.
The fallout began with Pepsi, the festival’s primary partner since 2015, withdrawing its headline sponsorship. This triggered a domino effect, with Diageo, Rockstar Energy, and PayPal all distancing themselves from the event or removing their branding.
The brand exodus mirrors severe political backlash. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and London Mayor Sadiq Khan have both condemned the booking, citing Ye’s history of antisemitic rhetoric and his recent release of a song titled “Heil Hitler.”
Ye had apologized last year for his comments and attributed them to suffering from bipolar disorder.
The American rapper remains a massive financial draw. He recently grossed $33 million from two sold-out stadium shows in Los Angeles, and his latest album debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200.