Kanye West's recent dalliance with Nazism and a series of other outrageous actions have rendered him persona non grata in numerous venues today. Last year, he vocalized his grievances about being blacklisted by US concert halls, and reportedly, he has encountered similar hurdles abroad — a music festival in Slovakia recently rescinded his invitation after thousands signed a petition demanding his exclusion. In reality, since 2023, the only nations where West has successfully mounted live performances are South Korea and China.
On Saturday, he returned to China for what was touted as his first full-length concert in nearly a year. However, according to local media accounts, many spectators at the Shanghai Stadium, which holds 70,000 people, were left puzzled and exasperated by West's antics. According to The Global Times, West took to the stage more than 40 minutes late — a delay that likely irked many attendees, given the paramount importance of punctuality in Chinese culture, where late starts are often perceived as a mark of disrespect. The stage design was marked by minimalist production and lighting, with the rapper standing alone in the midst of a colossal oval. Moreover, it was raining, which compromised the sound quality at the outdoor venue.
As the night progressed, it seemed that West was encountering issues with the DJ, prompting him to skip and restart several songs. He repeatedly mounted and dismounted the stage, ultimately vanishing altogether towards the concert's conclusion — leaving only the backing track to play in his absence. On a brighter note, he appeared to have self-censored his most anti-Semitic lyrics.
Some fans who attended — shelling out upwards of $400USD for tickets — eventually grew weary of West's antics and began chanting for refunds. The concert also garnered widespread attention on Chinese social media, with one user commenting that they had "never witnessed such a poorly organized concert." Shanghai consumers simply will not tolerate such shenanigans.
