Ye Shows in St. Petersburg Officially Canceled After Weeks of Conflicting Reports

Sep. 29, 2026 American rapper Ye performs in Istanbul, Turkey. Yasin Akgul / AFP Two St. Petersburg concerts by controversial rapper Ye scheduled for next month have been officially canceled following weeks of conflicting statements from venue management and local promoters. An Instagram account affiliated with the U.S. touring agency Access Opera confirmed the cancellation Tuesday, directing ticket holders to seek refunds from the Russian promoter Say Agency. The shows, originally scheduled for Oct. 10 and 11 at Gazprom Arena, triggered immediate backlash from conservative Russian politicians due to Ye’s past public support of Nazism, which constitutes a criminal offense under Russian law. Gazprom Arena claimed it had never signed a contract with Say Agency and could not host the Ye shows. Local media reported at the time that the sudden cancellation followed a phone call “from above,” suggesting the Kremlin may have directly intervened. Say Agency later insisted the Ye concerts would still take place. However, the promoter has since retracted those statements and said it will release an official announcement about the status of the shows on Wednesday. Despite the cancellation, a Turkish agency that organized Ye’s performance in Istanbul in May listed a tentative July 10, 2027, date for a Moscow show on its website. Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium had said it would be open to hosting Ye’s concert following Gazprom Arena’s withdrawal. Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, 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.” Read more about: Music , St. Petersburg 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 ‘Carousel Arrests’: Inside Russia’s Tactic for Keeping Detainees Locked Up The St. Petersburg street band Stoptime's members are the latest people to face repeated administrative arrests in Russia. 5 Min read St. Petersburg Street Musician Jailed Again Over Viral Anti-Putin Performance Members of the group Stoptime were arrested shortly after being released from their first sentences. 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 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