Major sponsors drop out of London festival headlined by Kanye West
Pepsi and Diageo pull out of Wireless Festival as PM Starmer weighs in on US rapper who has praised Nazism in the past
Drinks giants Pepsi and Diageo on Sunday pulled out of sponsoring a music festival in London headlined by US rapper Kanye West, who has a history of antisemitic outbursts.
The disgraced 48-year-old hip-hop star - now known as Ye - is due to play three nights at the Wireless Festival in London in July as part of a European comeback tour.
A spokesperson for Pepsi, the festival’s top sponsor, said on Sunday that the brand “has decided to withdraw its sponsorship of Wireless Festival”, without giving a reason.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed concern about West’s appearances, while campaigners against antisemitism urged the government to stop the rapper entering the UK.
Starmer told The Sun newspaper it was “deeply concerning Kanye West has been booked to perform at Wireless despite his previous antisemitic remarks and celebration of Nazism”.
He added that “antisemitism in any form is abhorrent and must be confronted firmly”.
Diageo, whose labels Johnnie Walker and Captain Morgan were slated to be partner brands, also dropped out.