Latest news with #Rubiconfestival
Straits Times
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Slovakia festival hosting Kanye West cancelled after Heil Hitler song furore
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox BRATISLAVA - The Slovakia festival due to welcome Kanye West next week has called off the event following the uproar over the US rapper's May release of a song glorifying Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. Before the July 20 gig was cancelled, Bratislava's Rubicon hip-hop festival was set to be West's only confirmed live performance in Europe this year. Though he has won 24 Grammy Awards over the course of his career, the erratic rapper has become notorious in recent years for his increasingly anti-Semitic and hate-filled rants. West, who has legally changed his name to the shorthand 'Ye', released the song Heil Hitler on May 8, the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. In the wake of the announcement of West's appearance at Rubicon, thousands of people signed a petition against the gig. The rapper – a vocal supporter of US President Donald Trump – is 'repeatedly and openly adhering to symbols and ideology connected with the darkest period of modern global history', two groups behind the petition said. In a statement on Instagram late on July 9, the festival's organisers said the decision to cancel the event was 'due to media pressure and the withdrawal of several artists and partners'. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Business S'pore to launch new grant for companies, expand support for workers amid US tariff uncertainties Singapore Up to 90% of air-con units can be recycled, including greenhouse gas refrigerant Singapore KTPH trials 'smart diapers' for adult patients to prevent skin conditions, relieve burden on nurses Singapore Singaporean fugitive nabbed and charged with drug trafficking, may face death penalty Sport World Aquatics C'ships Singapore 2025 declared open by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam World 'Do some homework': 6 key exchanges between US Senator Duckworth and S'pore envoy nominee Sinha Multimedia 60 objects to mark SG60: Which is your favourite? Singapore CPF Board uses AI to improve call centre services, prioritise help for less tech-savvy users 'This was not an easy decision,' the organisers said, without drawing a direct line between the rapper's planned appearance and the cancellations. Contacted on July 10 by AFP, the Rubicon festival did not offer further explanations. Styling itself as the central European country's premier hip-hop hang-out, the Rubicon festival was set to run from July 18 to 20. US rappers Offset and Sheck Wes were set to share top billing with West. Australia cancelled West's visa on July 2 over Heil Hitler, in which West raps about his custody battle with ex-wife Kim Kardashian before the song ends with an extract of a speech by the Nazi dictator. West's wife, Bianca Censori, is Australian. AFP
Time of India
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Kanye West in trouble? Sources reveal massive financial strain could be career-threatening
Kanye West is known for getting into trouble, but this time it could cost him everything. People say that Ye is in a lot of money trouble that could end his career. This is because other countries have banned it, the team is breaking up, and there is a growing backlash. How bad is Kanye West's financial situation? According to reports, Kanye West is "under huge financial pressure." People who know him say he might lose his billionaire status and power around the world. He is experiencing a financial "crisis" as his reputation continues to suffer due to his numerous scandals. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Vinh Trung: Máy phát điện mini ban công phù hợp cho gia đình Trạm điện di động | Tìm kiếm quảng cáo Tìm Ngay Undo He is banned from performing in major European cities and other US and UK locations due to his controversial support for Hitler and is reportedly frantically looking for shows. People say he is so desperate to get work that he pays his wife a lot of money to do public stunts and loses friends he has known for a long time. Live Events According to reports, Kanye West also lost an incredible $3 million in a single night, but he still pays his wife, Bianca Censori, "hundreds of thousands" of dollars to perform her controversial public stunts while wearing barely noticeable clothing, as per a report by The Blast. Next week, the "Vultures 1" rapper will play at the Rubicon festival in Slovakia's capital, Bratislava. The venue has a capacity of 26,000, so he probably wouldn't have thought of doing such a gig before. Why can't Kanye book shows anymore? Kanye West is going through a crisis in his career as a result of his controversial social media comments and outspoken support for fascism. Due to his pro-Nazi beliefs, West has been advised to "stay away" from Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Scandinavia, and Australia, so it appears he has no other option. According to reports, he was blacklisted by the London Stadium and Wembley Stadium in the UK even before he released his song "Heil Hitler" in May, forcing him to compete for bookings all over the world. "He's reportedly asking for $7 million a night, and he's getting his team to call around frantically looking for gigs. The Daily Mail reported that, "No one will use a barge pole to touch him." "Wembley and London Stadium both said: 'No chance, we don't need the protests,' and that was before the single came out." ALSO READ: Faster than light? Japan breaks internet speed record — download all of Netflix in just 1 second "Everywhere they have asked, it's the same story," the source continued. Almost all of Europe has banned him; either the venues won't let him in or he can't get a visa to enter the country,' as per a report by The Blast. Why is the rapper facing strong opposition to his concert in Bratislava? Since it is unclear how the rapper will profit from his current business endeavors in the context of his career trajectory, the Bratislava concert is met with strong opposition. His Slovakian show can accommodate 26,000 people, according to the Daily Mail, but even if tickets sell for $200, it's difficult to imagine how the gig could cover the outrageous $7 million appearance fee he's requesting. According to insiders in the music industry, "the economics make no sense" because the venue cannot possibly recover its expenses unless it receives a portion of the more expensive resale tickets. A petition with over 3,500 signatures has been signed by the mayor of Bratislava, requesting that the rapper be prohibited from performing because it is "an insult to historical memory, a glorification of wartime violence, and a debasement of all victims of the Nazi regime." The petition alleges that West has "repeatedly and openly adhering to symbols and an ideology connected with the darkest period of modern global history." Given that Australia's Home Affairs Minister, Tony Burke, declared last week that Kanye West is now prohibited from entering the country because of his divisive opinions, the rapper may never again have the opportunity to travel there to visit his wife's family. Is anyone still in Kanye's corner? As Kanye West loses out on relationships in addition to money, his inner circle gets smaller. Longtime manager John Monopoly and his publicist Milo Yiannopoulos have parted ways, and he is facing a number of potentially expensive lawsuits from former workers that allege unfair treatment and sexual harassment. FAQs Why is Kanye struggling to book concerts? Given his antisemitic remarks and controversial stunts, venues in Europe and the United States have reportedly blacklisted him. Is Kanye West still a billionaire? No. Forbes now estimates his net worth at $400 million, down from more than $1 billion after losing major brand deals.
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Thousands sign petition opposing Kanye West's headline slot at Slovak music festival
A growing backlash is mounting in Bratislava after the announcement that controversial rapper Kanye West - now legally known as Ye - is set to headline the Slovakian capital's upcoming Rubicon festival. A petition urging the mayor to cancel his appearance describes the booking as 'an insult to historic memory, a glorification of wartime violence and debasement of all victims of the Nazi regime'. The Rubicon festival, which bills itself as a cultural event of 'vision and provocation,' revealed plans for an exclusive mid-July performance by what it called a 'hip-hop visionary, cultural icon, and controversial genius.' However, more than 3,600 people have signed a petition - endorsed by groups including Peace for Ukraine and Cities for Democracy - demanding Ye's removal from the lineup. It accuses the artist of 'repeatedly and openly adhering to symbols and [an] ideology connected with the darkest period of modern global history'. Related Kanye 'Ye' West posts KKK photo after announcing return of his gospel choir Kanye 'Ye' West new album drop overshadowed by yet another disgusting social media meltdown The 48-year-old rapper has remained in the headlines for a long string of increasingly controversial and provocative antics. These include accusations of controlling behaviour toward his wife, Bianca Censori; the sale of Swastika-emblazoned T-shirts on his now-taken down Yeezy retail site; and most recently, the release of a track titled Heil Hitler on 8 May - coinciding with the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany's defeat. The online petition also warns that West's appearance could attract 'radical and extremist groups from Slovakia and abroad' and cited 'legitimate concern about the appearance of Nazi symbolism, violent behaviour or the spread of ideology that is unacceptable in a democratic society and criminal in our country'. Meanwhile, West - who recently made a brief appearance at the sex-trafficking trial of Sean 'Diddy' Combs - is expected to release a full version of his 12th album Bully, following the leak of several incomplete editions earlier this year.
Euronews
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Euronews
Thousands protest against Ye's headline slot at Slovak festival
A growing backlash is mounting in Bratislava after the announcement that controversial rapper Kanye West - now legally known as Ye - is set to headline the Slovakian capital's upcoming Rubicon festival. A petition urging the mayor to cancel his appearance describes the booking as 'an insult to historic memory, a glorification of wartime violence and debasement of all victims of the Nazi regime'. The Rubicon festival, which bills itself as a cultural event of 'vision and provocation,' revealed plans for an exclusive mid-July performance by what it called a 'hip-hop visionary, cultural icon, and controversial genius.' However, more than 3,600 people have signed a petition - endorsed by groups including Peace for Ukraine and Cities for Democracy - demanding Ye's removal from the lineup. It accuses the artist of 'repeatedly and openly adhering to symbols and [an] ideology connected with the darkest period of modern global history'. The 48-year-old rapper has remained in the headlines for a long string of increasingly controversial and provocative antics. These include accusations of controlling behaviour toward his wife, Bianca Censori; the sale of Swastika-emblazoned T-shirts on his now-taken down Yeezy retail site; and most recently, the release of a track titled Heil Hitler on 8 May - coinciding with the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany's defeat. The online petition also warns that West's appearance could attract 'radical and extremist groups from Slovakia and abroad' and cited 'legitimate concern about the appearance of Nazi symbolism, violent behaviour or the spread of ideology that is unacceptable in a democratic society and criminal in our country'. Meanwhile, West - who recently made a brief appearance at the sex-trafficking trial of Sean 'Diddy' Combs - is expected to release a full version of his 12th album Bully, following the leak of several incomplete editions earlier this year.
