Kanye West faces sponsor pullouts over Wireless Festival booking

London: Kanye West, who now goes by Ye, is facing growing criticism after several sponsors withdrew or scaled back their association with the Wireless Festival, where he is due to headline a three-night run in July.

The backlash is linked to the artist’s past antisemitic comments and pro-Nazi references, which have drawn condemnation from corporate partners as well as political figures in the United Kingdom.

Pepsi, the festival’s main sponsor, said it would no longer co-brand the event, ending a 10-year arrangement under the banner Pepsi MAX Presents Wireless. Diageo, which owns brands including Johnnie Walker and Captain Morgan, also pulled its support. Rockstar Energy Drink subsequently followed, while PayPal has decided its branding will not appear at the festival, although it has not completely withdrawn from the event.

Despite the controversy, the festival website continues to display a number of brands. Some sponsors could come under pressure to take the same step as Pepsi. Brands still backing the event include Budweiser, Beatbox and Drip.

Political criticism over booking

British political leaders have also criticised the decision to book Ye for the festival. Keir Starmer described the headlining appearance as "deeply concerning" in light of the rapper’s previous antisemitic remarks.

Other officials, including London Mayor Sadiq Khan and Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey, also distanced themselves from the event. They described the booking as "offensive" and "not reflective of London values."

Jewish leaders and organisations also condemned the move. The Jewish Leadership Council called the booking "deeply irresponsible," saying such a platform should not be used to spread antisemitic messaging.

The reaction from sponsors, fans and public officials has left uncertainty surrounding the festival.

Return to the UK stage

The Wireless Festival appearance is set to be Ye’s first performance in the United Kingdom in 11 years. Earlier this year, he returned to live performances in the United States with sold-out shows at SoFi Stadium. Those concerts featured appearances by Lauryn Hill, Travis Scott and Don Toliver.

Ye has publicly apologised for his earlier conduct through a full-page Wall Street Journal advertisement and in an interview with Vanity Fair, where he cited a mental health crisis as a factor behind his actions.

Career and public profile

Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West left college to pursue music and first gained prominence as a producer for Jay-Z’s Roc-A-Fella Records. He became known for his chipmunk soul production style before signing to the label as a recording artist.

His debut album, The College Dropout, was released in 2004 to critical acclaim. His second album, Late Registration, released in 2005, became the first of 11 albums to top the US Billboard 200 chart. He has also recorded five US Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles: Slow Jamz (2003), Gold Digger (2005), Stronger (2007), E.T. (2011, as a featured artist), and Carnival (2024). He was the first rapper to top the chart across three decades.

Outside music, he has worked with Nike, Louis Vuitton and Gap on fashion and footwear, and led the Yeezy collaboration with Adidas. His public life has drawn sustained media attention over the years, including over his social media conduct, award show incidents, public appearances, and comments on the music and fashion industries, US politics, race and slavery. His Christian faith, celebrity relationships, feuds and mental health have also remained subjects of public discussion.

West was married to Kim Kardashian from 2014 to 2022, and they have four children. In 2020, he ran an unsuccessful independent campaign for US president. From 2022 to 2025, he faced widespread condemnation and lost sponsors and partnerships over antisemitic views and expressions of sympathy for Nazi ideology, before issuing an official apology in 2026.

West as one of the best-selling music artists, with 160 million records sold. He has won 24 Grammy Awards, making him the 13th-most awarded artist in the ceremony’s history. Time included him among the 100 most influential people in the world in 2005 and 2015, while Rolling Stone placed six of his albums on its 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list and also named him among the 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time.