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Kanye West has issued an apology after a Wireless Festival boss spoke out in support of naming him as the 2026 festival headliner.
After days of outcry, the festival’s managing director defended the choice to platform Kanye for three nights as sponsors continued to drop out over the growing backlash.
Now, Ye himself has apologised in a new statement, released in the Wall Street Journal, as with his original ‘To Those I’ve Hurt’ letter.
‘I’ve been following the conversation around Wireless, and I want to address it directly,’ he wrote.
‘My only goal is to come to London and present a show of change, bringing unity, peace, and love through my music. I would be grateful for the opportunity to meet with members of the Jewish community in the UK in person, to listen.
‘I know words aren’t enough – I’ll have to show change through my actions. If you’re open, I’m here. With love, Ye.’
Wireless was condemned as the rapper has spent the past several years shunned from mainstream culture over his antisemitic, racist, and homophobic comments.
Just last May, Kanye released a song titled Heil Hitler, as well as wearing and selling a t-shirt with a swastika on it after declaring himself a Nazi.
His apology comes hours after Melvin Benn, Managing Director at Festival Republic, released a statement defending the rapper, emphasising his own political stance while acknowledging the severity of the rapper’s past comments.
‘I am a deeply committed anti-fascist and have been all my adult life,’ he said, adding that he is ‘pro Jew and the Jewish state’ while also supporting Palestinian statehood.
‘I have witnessed many episodes of despicable behaviour that I have had to forgive and move on from… I have become a person of forgiveness and hope in all aspects of my life.’
‘What Ye has said in the past about Jews and Hitler is as abhorrent to me as it is to the Jewish community… and — taking him at his word — to Ye now also.’
However, he argued that Kanye’s inclusion in the festival line-up is based on his music rather than his previously stated views.
Ye is set to headline all three nights of the Finsbury Park festival in July, with the appearance likely to earn him well over an estimated £1million per night.
‘Ye’s music is played on commercial radio stations… available via live streams and downloads… and listened to and enjoyed by millions,’ the Wireless boss continued.
He added that the performance would not serve as a platform for political expression. ‘We are not giving him a platform to extol opinion… only to perform the songs that are currently played on the radio stations.’
Concluding the statement, he called for a more measured public response, urging critics to consider the value of rehabilitation. ‘Forgiveness and giving people a second chance are becoming a lost virtue… I would ask people to reflect on their instant comments of disgust… and offer some forgiveness and hope.’
The festival was facing a growing backlash, with major sponsors dropping out, including headline partner Pepsi.
The withdrawal was significant as the soft drink company has been a partner since 2015, with the 2026 festival billed as ‘Pepsi presents Wireless’.
Partners Rockstar Energy, PayPal and Diageo, which owns Captain Morgan rum and Johnnie Walker whisky, have all announced they will remove all branding and support.
Diageo said in a statement to Metro: ‘We have informed the organisers of our concerns, and as it stands, Diageo will not sponsor the 2026 Wireless festival.’
There’s only a handful of sponsors left, including Budweiser and travel partner Big Green Coach, who have not yet spoken out.
The Tories also pushed for Ye to be banned from even entering the UK, with the Bully rapper’s permissions now being reviewed.
Wes Streeting told GB News: ‘The decision about whether he can enter Britain is one for the Home Office, and that case is being considered. It would be inappropriate for me to comment.’
If the Home Office takes action, it would follow a similar decision by the Australian government last year. Canberra banned him after he released a song called ‘Heil Hitler’ and put the slogan on T-shirts.
The Health Secretary later criticised the decision to have him headline the festival, and told Sky News the organisers should be ‘ashamed of themselves’.
‘I cannot for the life of me understand why Wireless still have him as a headliner,’ he continued. ‘There are plenty of other talented artists in this country, let alone internationally, who would benefit from the exposure and who, in turn, would help drive ticket sales.
‘To provide this kind of platform and opportunity to Kanye West against this backdrop of behaviour, I think, is a very bad error of judgment.’
Sir Keir Starmer previously addressed Ye’s ‘deeply concerning’ return to the UK, which will mark the first time in over a decade he has played here.
The PM said that it is ‘deeply concerning Kanye West has been booked to perform at Wireless despite his previous antisemitic remarks and celebration of Nazism’.
He continued to The Sun on Sunday: ‘Antisemitism in any form is abhorrent and must be confronted firmly wherever it appears. Everyone has a responsibility to ensure Britain is a place where Jewish people feel safe.’
Matt Lucas had called out Wireless and Pepsi on X, bringing huge attention to the sponsorship and Ye’s antisemitism.
‘Have you released a song called ‘Heil Hitler’?’ he asked. ‘Have you sold T-shirts with swastikas on them? Have you promised to go ‘death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE’?
‘If so, congratulations! You may be eligible to headline @WirelessFest, sponsored by @pepsiuk.’
London Mayor Sadiq Khan had already condemned the ‘deeply irresponsible’ decision from festival organisers.
A spokesperson for the Mayor of London told Metro that Ye’s past comments and actions are ‘offensive and wrong, and are simply not reflective of London’s values.’
They added: ‘This was a decision taken by the festival organisers and not one that City Hall is involved in.’
Ye did previously apologise for his behaviour earlier this year, taking out a full-page advert in the Wall Street Journal to explain he had ‘lost touch with reality’.
He declared he is ‘not a Nazi or an antisemite’ and that he ‘loves Jewish people’, leaving him ‘deeply mortified’ by his past behaviour.
However, many feel one apology is not enough to erase almost 10 years of horrific comments, including claiming ‘slavery was a choice’.
Ye had to defend the WSJ letter and told Vanity Fair it was not about ‘reviving my commerciality’ ahead of his album release.
‘This is because these remorseful feelings were so heavy on my heart and weighing on my spirit,’ he continued. ‘I owe a huge apology once again for everything that I said that hurt the Jewish and Black communities in particular. All of it went too far.
‘I look at the wreckage of my episode and realise that this isn’t who I am. As a public figure, so many people follow and listen to my every word. It’s important that they realise and understand what side of history that I want to stand on. And that is one of love and positivity.’
While many are vocally against the rapper, including the Jewish Leadership Council and the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism, he seems to have been welcomed back by equal measure.
Ye’s album Bully immediately charted – kept off the top spots by Raye and Olivia Dean – and his shows in Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium were sold out.
Lauryn Hill, Travis Scott, and CeeLo Green felt happy enough to join him on stage while singer Chlöe Bailey was spotted in the crowd.
However, not all celebrities have forgiven him as David Schwimmer branded him ‘one of the most recognisable hate-mongering bigots in the world’.
He dismissed the original apology as ‘part of a PR scheme to assuage folks right before his long-planned return to the stage’.
‘Remember: Ye’s apologised before, only to retract that apology and double down on his virulent hatred of Jewish people,’ David wrote.
The Friends icon questioned whether those supporting him also endorsed his previous antisemitism, as they had not ‘denounced it’.
Wrapping up his statement, David shared: ‘I believe in forgiveness, but it takes much more than this. Until Ye demonstrates a commitment to building back trust — not only with the Jewish community, but with ALL the fans he left heartbroken and disappointed by his hateful rhetoric the last several years — he should not be granted a platform to perform.
‘To do so is to be tacitly complicit in what these companies know to be wrong, unethical and immoral.’
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