{"id":376647,"date":"2026-04-05T18:10:10","date_gmt":"2026-04-05T18:10:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/376647\/"},"modified":"2026-04-05T18:10:10","modified_gmt":"2026-04-05T18:10:10","slug":"wireless-festival-loses-pepsi-sponsorship-over-kanye-west-booking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/376647\/","title":{"rendered":"Wireless Festival Loses Pepsi Sponsorship Over Kanye West Booking"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tPepsi<\/a> is withdrawing its sponsorship of London\u2019s Wireless Festival following criticism over the event\u2019s decision to book Ye.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe food and beverage giant had served as the festival\u2019s main sponsor for a decade but is now stepping away amid backlash over Ye (formerly known as Kanye West<\/a>) being announced as the headliner for all three nights.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cPepsi has decided to withdraw its sponsorship of Wireless Festival,\u201d a Pepsi spokesperson told Billboard on Sunday (April 5).<\/p>\n

\n\tThe London festival had been branded \u201cPepsi MAX Presents Wireless\u201d as part of a partnership in place since 2015.<\/p>\n

\n\tThis year\u2019s Wireless is scheduled for July 10\u201312<\/a> at Finsbury Park in London. West previously headlined<\/a> the event in 2014.<\/p>\n

\n\tPepsi\u2019s withdrawal came hours after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned organizers for booking the embattled rap star.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cIt is deeply concerning that Kanye West has been booked to perform at Wireless despite his previous antisemitic remarks and celebration of Nazism,\u201d Starmer said, according to The Guardian<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cAntisemitism in any form is abhorrent and must be confronted clearly and firmly wherever it appears. Everyone has a responsibility to ensure Britain is a place where Jewish people feel safe and secure.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tYe has faced repeated criticism in recent years for antisemitic statements and actions, including releasing a song titled \u201cHeil Hitler,\u201d selling T-shirts bearing swastikas and publicly expressing admiration for Nazi ideology. In January, he\u00a0took out a full-page ad<\/a>\u00a0in the\u00a0Wall Street Journal apologizing for his repeated incidents of hate speech, claiming that his 2022 car crash caused brain damage that led to mental health issues.<\/p>\n

\n\tStarmer was not the only political figure to speak out. London Mayor Sadiq Khan said in a statement<\/a> to Complex, \u201cWe are clear that the past comments and actions of this artist are offensive and wrong, and are simply not reflective of London\u2019s values. This was a decision taken by the festival organizers and not one that City Hall is involved in.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThe Jewish Leadership Council also issued a statement<\/a> condemning the festival\u2019s decision to book Ye.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cIt is deeply irresponsible for Wireless festival to be headlining Kanye West,\u201d a spokesperson for the Council told The Guardian. \u201cThe UK Jewish community is facing record levels of antisemitism, including a terrorist attack in Manchester, the attack on ambulances in Golders Green and foiled plots which would have killed many more.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThe Chicago native released his 12th studio album, Bully, on March 28, marking his first solo project since 2022\u2019s Donda 2. Ye recently returned to the stage in the U.S. in support of the album, performing a pair of shows at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles after opening 2026 with a performance in Mexico City.<\/p>\n

\n\tWest is next scheduled to perform at RCF Arena in Reggio Emilia, Italy, on July 18, shortly after his planned Wireless Festival appearance.<\/p>\n


\"Billboard
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