Kanye West has been making headlines a lot this past month because of a giant stadium show he’s supposedly doing in Italy, but those plans have reportedly now hit a roadblock.
According to Billboard Italy, Ye was planning to perform at the RCF Arena in the northern city of Reggio Emilia on Friday (October 27). The show was reportedly being organized by Italian promoter Vivo Concerti. However, it was never officially announced.
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The anticipated event was originally scheduled for this past Friday (October 20), but delayed to the following week. All signs are now pointing to cancellation, as reports indicate the stage setup was dismantled and West has returned to the U.S. from Italy, where he had been residing with his wife, Bianca Censori.
It was believed that Ye’s concert would be the official global premiere of his collaborative album with Ty Dolla $ign.
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The secretive nature of the event created suspense among fans, but it also drew criticism from local groups due to West’s past praise of Adolf Hitler.
According to a report from The Daily Mail earlier this month, Ye’s comments in support of the genocidal leader have been angering local veterans who fought against the Nazis in World War II.
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Albertina Soliani, vice president of ANPI, the National Association of Italian Partisans, told the publication: “It’s time to say enough to these people who believe they can say what they want. Someone can be a fantastic singer but then they are also judged by what they say, and West has made some inhumane declarations and with what’s happening in the world today we cannot accept this concert.”
He continued, “We are focused every day with carrying certain values, which are liberty and democracy and then with this we just have to start again from the beginning. In my opinion he should stay at home… [W]e are on the side of the oppressed and not those who preach hate.”
News of a Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign album first surfaced earlier this month when new music from the duo was debuted during a “private listening party” in Italy.
The pair have reportedly been shopping the forthcoming album to a number of independent labels after several of the majors have declined to work with Ye due to his antisemitic tirades from last year.
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Kanye’s long-running deal with Def Jam came to an end with the release of Donda in August 2021. The storied rap label distanced themselves from West after his antisemitic tirades last year.
