Turkey on Tuesday expressed alarm over a weekend gig by Kanye West in Istanbul attended by nearly 120,000 fans, saying it included elements that offended its spiritual sensitivities.
Official Condemnation
In a post on X, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's chief advisor Oktay Saral said the show featured "rhetoric and symbols that run counter to our faith and civilisational values." He specifically noted the crowd chanting "I am a God," a 2013 Kanye West song, calling it "a serious matter that demands close examination."
Saral also pointed to the involvement of 82-year-old French designer Michele Lamy, suggesting she was "associated with occultism and dark symbols" due to her eccentric style. He urged the tourism ministry "to exercise far greater caution regarding such events that concern the spiritual and cultural sensitivities of our nation."
European Concert Bans
The US rapper has faced widespread backlash over antisemitic remarks and glorification of Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, which he has blamed on bipolar disorder. In April, Britain banned him from entering the country, forcing festival organisers to cancel his headline performance. France's interior minister sought to block a Marseille concert, leading to its postponement. A Polish stadium cancelled a June 19 show, with the culture minister citing his "promotion of Nazism." Italy also banned a planned July 18 show on public safety grounds.
In January, West took out an advert in the Wall Street Journal to defend himself, stating: "I am not a Nazi or an antisemite" and "I love Jewish people." He attributed his behaviour to a "manic episode" brought on by bipolar disorder.
Despite the controversies, West is scheduled to perform in the Netherlands on June 6 and 8, in Albania's capital Tirana on July 11, and in Prague on July 25.
