Kanye West (now known as Ye) is performing in San Antonio on July 4, but many city leaders aren’t on board. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for The Recording A
Should San Antonio pull the plug on Ye’s Alamodome concert?
Rebecca
San Antonio, TX
06/23/26
0
Yes, Kanye west should not be allowed to perform at the Alamodome and the concert canceled. He has a disgusting history of antisemitic and racist remarks. His “apology” released in an ad this year was conveniently timed to come out a few days before his new album.
Priscilla
San Antonio, TX
06/23/26
0
The mayor should not misuse her power or the office of the mayor to censor artist. Ye is bring such a positive economic impact. We are currently loosing to Austin in regards to better concerts, arts and talent. Ye should not be banned.
Cris
San Antonio, TX
06/23/26
0
Freedom of speech applies to everyone and if not then the city leaders need to remember this day because it will come back and bite them in the !@#%
Barbara F
San Antonio, TX
06/23/26
0
YES! DO NOT ALLOW THIS BRAIN DAMAGED MAN TO DISGRACE SAN ANTONIO, TX. HE’S NUTS! I wish the citizens of San Antonio had enough time to boycott this concert!
Kate
San Antonio, TX
06/23/26
0
It bears noting the same City-owned venue is set to host repeat abuser Chris Brown for the second year in a row. Public officials have voiced zero concerns about booking a performer with a history and continued pattern of violence. The first well-known case happened in 2009 when he pleaded guilty to felony assault after an attack of singer Rihanna. Additional attacks on multiple individuals were reported every year since then, including one in 2024 in Fort Worth.
Domestic violence is rampant in San Antonio. The 2024 Annual Statistical Data Report released by the Collaborative Commission on Domestic Violence in December 2025, found that in 2024 BCSO and SAPD received over 58,000 calls for assistance related to family violence – an average of almost 7 calls per hour everyday. If, as Commissioner Moody stated, “Hate and intolerance have no place in Bexar County,” where do our leaders stand on misogyny and violence against women when it comes to who is chosen to perform at the Alamodome??
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The surprise announcement of a rare Kanye West concert in San Antonio left the city divided and the show in limbo.
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Some have been waiting for his return to the Alamo City since 2013, while others are calling for a swift decision in condemnation of the rapper’s past antisemitic remarks and other controversies. But must the show go on? Many say it shouldn’t, while others invoke the First Amendment. Here’s what to know.
Is the Kanye West concert in San Antonio still happening?
It doesn’t seem that a cancellation is imminent, at least not yet. According to a spokesperson for the city, “The Alamodome staff reviews all events — whether Paul McCartney, Disney on Ice, Monster Jam, or Ye — using the same factors, including public demand, expected economic impact, facility revenue, hotel bookings and the goal of bringing a wide range of events to San Antonio.”
The spokesperson told MySA via email that more than 60,000 fans are expected to attend the concert, with about 50,000 tickets sold. That would make it one of the venue’s most packed concerts in its 33-year history, though George Strait’s 2013 stop holds the record for over 70,000 in attendance. Over 14,000 fans expected for Ye come from within Bexar County, and yet more are flooding in from outside the area. More than 23,000 people are coming from other Texas counties, 15,485 are crossing state lines and 195 sales were international.
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If there were a move to cancel the concert, the spokesperson said, “The Alamodome Staff reports to the City Manager, who, under the City Charter, is responsible for managing City facilities. Once Alamodome staff books an event, conceptually, the City Council can direct the City Manager to cancel it.”
It looks like that won’t happen. Six of 11 council members — Jalen McKee-Rodriguez, Dr. Sukh Kaur, Marina Alderete Gavito, Misty Spears, Teri Castillo and Marc Whyte — denounced Ye’s comments in a joint statement but said they don’t want the show axed. The statement, which MySA obtained from Kaur’s office, notes the concert’s economic impact but says that doesn’t “diminish our opposition to hate in any form.”
Six members is a majority, which means a vote to cancel would likely fail.
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“We can condemn hate without resorting to censorship, which could set a precedent toward limiting expression based on objectionable viewpoints,” the statement read in part. “The City does not endorse his rhetoric by allowing use of a public venue, just as a public library does not endorse every book’s viewpoint simply by carrying it.”
San Antonio city leaders urge to cancel controversial Ye concert
Multiple city leaders, such as Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones, Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai and McKee-Rodriguez, have called out the concert.
In a statement to Instagram, Jones said, “Military City USA should not host someone with a record of hate speech and antisemitic comments in a city-funded facility like our Alamodome — not ever, and certainly not on July 4th, our Nation’s 250th birthday. Standing up to antisemitism is exactly what it takes to achieve a more perfect Union.”
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Many locals disagreed with Jones’ take, saying a cancellation would constitute a breach of the First Amendment. Another camp questioned why the mayor chose to call for canceling this concert in particular, while events hosted by other controversial figures, including Turning Point USA CEO Erika Kirk, passed with little notice from leaders. That event was hosted at the Marriott Rivercenter, which is not city-owned.
Ye’s past scandals have led many international concerts to be cancelled, and San Antonio may follow suit. (Photo by Ramon VAN FLYMEN / ANP / AFP via Getty Images) / Netherlands OUT
RAMON VAN FLYMEN/ANP/AFP via Getty Images
Meanwhile, Sakai said in a release that he does not “condone the hateful speech and antisemitic messages by rapper Kanye West, also known as Ye. I am all too familiar with racism and the devastating and long-term impacts that it can have. These bigoted words and messages are not reflective of and have no place in our community.” Continuing, Sakai said, “As Bexar County Judge, I have a duty to our residents to provide for an inclusive and safe community. These hateful words and actions have no place here and we must call it out. Bexar County stands firmly against these hateful and despicable messages.”
And despite claiming to have been offered tickets to the show, McKee-Rodriguez said he turned them down because “the normalization of white supremacy has no place in our city.” In a lengthy statement, the councilman said that even though the concert is expected to bring in $1.7 million in revenue and thousands of visitors, “not all money is good money.”
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“We are now asking how an individual with such a well-documented history of antisemitic behavior was booked at a city-owned venue in the first place, and what improvements can be made to our review and contracting process moving forward,” he wrote, calling the urges for cancelation “valid.” He also said “decisions made in moments of urgency can set long-term precedents” when it comes to government interference in events along ideological lines, warning of discrimination against LGBTQ+ acts, racial justice assembly and other organizing.
Is the Kanye West concert in San Antonio sold out?
Kanye West’s July 4 concert in San Antonio is not sold out despite a presale and general sale last week. There are still large quantities of tickets for the Alamodome show available on Ticketmaster, starting at $127.50 per seat and reaching above $1,400 each.
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Editor’s Note: This story was updated to add the joint statement from six San Antonio councilmembers.