Drinks giants Pepsi and Diageo on Sunday pulled out of sponsoring a music festival in London headlined by US rapper Kanye West, who has a history of antisemitic outbursts.<\/p>\n
The disgraced 48-year-old hip-hop star — now known as Ye — is due to play three nights at the Wireless Festival in London in July as part of a European comeback tour.<\/p>\n
A spokesperson for Pepsi, the festival’s top sponsor, told AFP on Sunday that the brand “has decided to withdraw its sponsorship of Wireless Festival”, without giving a reason.<\/p>\n
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed concern about West’s appearances, while campaigners against antisemitism urged the government to stop the rapper entering the UK.<\/p>\n
Starmer told The Sun newspaper it was “deeply concerning Kanye West\u00a0has been booked to perform at Wireless despite his previous antisemitic remarks and celebration of Nazism”.<\/p>\n
He added that “antisemitism in any form is abhorrent and must be confronted firmly”.<\/p>\n
Diageo, whose labels Johnnie Walker and Captain Morgan were slated to be partner brands, also dropped out.<\/p>\n
“We have informed the organisers of our concerns and as it stands, Diageo will not sponsor the 2026 Wireless Festival,” a spokesman told AFP.<\/p>\n
The festival’s operating company, Live Nation, has not so far responded to a request for comment from AFP.<\/p>\n
Festival organisers announced West’s appearance on social media last month, prompting criticism from Jewish organisations and London Mayor Sadiq Khan.<\/p>\n
Campaign Against Antisemitism, a British charity, on Sunday urged Starmer not to be a “bystander” and to ban West from entering the country.<\/p>\n
“Surely this is a clear case,” the charity said on X, suggesting West could be banned as a non-citizen whose presence is not “conducive to the public good”.<\/p>\n
West’s European tour has already provoked controversy. In France, the mayor of Marseille said the rapper was “not welcome” for a concert there in June.<\/p>\n
West has expressed regret over his antisemitic rants, which he blamed on his bipolar disorder.<\/p>\n
In May 2025, he released a song called “Heil Hitler” to mark the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II.<\/p>\n
The song was banned by major streaming platforms.<\/p>\n
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