Sponsors Pull Out of Major Festival After Kanye West Announced as Headliner
Major sponsors are stepping away from a major festival after rapper Ye, formerly Kanye West, was announced as the headliner. The sponsors do not want to tie their brands to…
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 02: Kanye West attends the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards on February 02, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
(Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)Major sponsors are stepping away from a major festival after rapper Ye, formerly Kanye West, was announced as the headliner. The sponsors do not want to tie their brands to the rapper following his past controversial remarks.
The annual Wireless Festival at London's Finsbury Park is losing several sponsors after announcing this year's headliner. The festival attracts up to 150,000 attendees every year. Ye is scheduled to perform three shows in July at the annual festival. The announcement comes after the rapper held sold-out shows at Inglewood's SoFi Stadium, marking the start of his comeback.
Sponsors Back Out of UK's Wireless Festival
After the announcement, reports state that Pepsi was one of the first to withdraw its sponsorship. According to CNN, another beverage company to pull out also includes Diageo. Diageo owns brands such as Guinness, Baileys, Smirnoff, Ciroc, Captain Morgan, and Johnnie Walker.
“We have informed the organisers of our concerns, and as it stands, Diageo will not sponsor the 2026 Wireless festival,” a spokesperson for Diageo reportedly told CNN.
Besides businesses taking their stance, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer also shared his concerns. Starmer released a statement condemning the festival's choice of making Ye the headliner. “It is deeply concerning that Kanye West has been booked to perform at Wireless despite his previous antisemitic remarks and celebration of Nazism,” said Starmer in a statement shared to CNN.
What Did Ye Do?
The rapper in the past has made several controversial and antisemitic remarks. Ye took out a full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal in January this year to issue an apology for his comments. He attributed his words and actions to the bipolar disorder he says he developed from a 2002 car crash.
“I lost touch with reality. Things got worse the longer I ignored the problem. I said and did things I deeply regret,” he wrote. “In that fractured state, I gravitated toward the most destructive symbol I could find, the swastika, and even sold T-shirts bearing it.”
Last month, the rapper returned to the scene with the release of his album, "Bully." The album debuted at No. 2 and led to sold-out shows at SoFi Stadium. During his recent shows, he brought out surprise guests such as Lauryn Hill, Travis Scott, CeeLo Green, and his daughter, North West.
For more information on Wireless Festival and what to expect, visit their website.
