St. Petersburg’s Gazprom Arena Cancels Ye Concerts

Aug. 25, 2026 American rapper and producer Ye. Hector Retamal / AFP St. Petersburg’s Gazprom Arena has denied plans to host two October concerts for the rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, triggering a public dispute with the event’s promoter. Say Agency, one of Russia’s top organizers for international music acts, insisted Monday that the performances remained scheduled for Oct. 10 and 11. Both the agency and Gazprom Arena initially promoted the shows last week. However, the venue abruptly reversed its position on Monday, declaring that the concerts “cannot take place” because it was not organizing them and had not signed rental contracts. All promotional materials for the Ye performances were removed from Gazprom Arena’s website. Local news outlet Fontanka reported that the sudden cancellation followed a phone call “from above,” suggesting that the Kremlin may have intervened. The outlet added that organizers launched ticket sales before receiving permits from the local authorities. Despite Gazprom Arena’s withdrawal, Say Agency CEO Anna Subcheva said the two concerts would still take place and that formal contracts are expected by Thursday. Subcheva said Ye had already received a 1.5 billion ruble ($17.7 million) advance payment. Ye previously visited Moscow in 2024 to celebrate the birthday of fashion designer and collaborator Gosha Rubchinskiy. Rumors of a performance at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium circulated at the time. The rapper has drawn controversy in recent years for his antisemitic remarks. He has previously voiced admiration for Adolf Hitler, and in May 2025, he released a song called “Heil Hitler.” Some Russian officials and political figures criticized plans to host the Ye concerts in St. Petersburg given his past public displays of Nazi symbols, which is a criminal offense in Russia. Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium said it would be open to hosting Ye’s concert following Gazprom Arena’s withdrawal. Read more about: St. Petersburg , Music Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Rapper Ye Set to Perform in St. Petersburg in October The performances will take place on Oct. 10 and 11 at the Gazprom Arena, a venue capable of hosting around 80,000 spectators. 2 Min read Singing These Songs in Russia Could Land You in Jail Stoptime rose to viral fame this fall with its performances of popular anti-Putin and anti-war anthems in St. Petersburg. Its members are now in jail. 3 Min read ‘You’re Afraid of Poems and Love’: Singer Monetochka Pens Verse in Support of Jailed St. Petersburg Street Musicians Monetochka read the lines condemning the authorities at a concert in Valencia on Sunday. 2 Min read St. Petersburg Street Musician Arrested After Viral Anti-Putin Performance Diana Loginova was filmed earlier this week leading a crowd in central St. Petersburg in singing the lyrics to the exiled rapper Noize MC’s hit song... 2 Min read