Italy has canceled two concerts featuring American rappers Kanye West and Travis Scott that were scheduled to occur in July in Reggio Emilia, a city in the northern part of the country. The decision to call off the concerts was made by the local prefect, Salvatore Angieri, citing concerns related to public safety and potential disturbances.
Kanye West, also known as Ye, has been facing multiple concert cancellations in Europe this summer due to his history of making antisemitic remarks, including statements that have praised Adolf Hitler and the use of Nazi imagery in his content. Travis Scott, on the other hand, has been under scrutiny for concert safety following a tragic incident at the Astroworld festival in Houston in 2021, where 10 people lost their lives in a crowd crush.
The Pulse of Gaia Festival, where Scott was slated to perform on July 17 at the 103,000-seat RCF Arena, and Ye’s scheduled appearance the next day have been affected by this decision. The cancellation came after requests from consumer group CODACONS and the Jewish community in Modena and Reggio Emilia, with particular concerns raised about Ye.
Authorities highlighted the proximity of the two concerts and the expected large influx of spectators within a short timeframe as key reasons for the ban. They also pointed to the recent cancellations of Ye’s other shows in Europe and the perceived risk of protests. Despite these developments, Ye has apologized for his past remarks, attributing them to untreated bipolar disorder, and has continued performing in countries where he is welcomed.
Ye had faced entry denials in the U.K. and France earlier this year but has upcoming concerts planned in the Netherlands and Istanbul. There has been no immediate response from Ye, Travis Scott, or the event organizers in Italy regarding the cancellation of the concerts.