Kanye West issues new response after calls for festival ban

It comes after multiple sponsors withdrew from Wireless festival

The return of the controversial rapper has been headline news in the last week, with the 48-year-old releasing a new album and being announced on the line-up at Wireless festival in London this summer.

While one of the most influential artists of his generation, West has often surrounded himself in controversy, notably for antisemitic comments and pro-Nazi rhetoric in recent years.

West has since apologised for these comments this January in a long statement in the Wall Street Journal in which blamed much of his behaviour on manic episodes caused by his bipolar disorder.

Last year, the rapper released a song called 'Heil Hitler' and sold swastika T-shirts.

The announcement by Wireless festival of West as a headline act lead to main sponsor Pepsi withdrawing from the event as well as Drinks giant Diageo who owns alcoholic brands such as Guinness, Smirnoff and Johnnie Walker, to name a few.

In response to the backlash, West has now issued a new statement in which he has said he will meet with leaders of the Jewish community.

Providing the apology to the Wall Street Journal, he penned the letter, "To those I've Hurt".

It read: I’ve been following the conversation around Wireless and want to address it directly.

My only goal is to come to London and present a show of change, bringing unity, peace, and love through my music.

I would be grateful for the opportunity to meet with members of the Jewish community in the UK in person, to listen.

I know words aren’t enough - I’ll have to show change through my actions.

If you’re open, I’m here.

With Love,

Ye
Formerly known as Kanye West

The Kanye West return has made such waves that even the government has spoken out on the matter.

After being asked if the rapper should be granted entry to the UK, Health Secretary Wes Streeting told Sky News yesterday: "That's a decision for the Home Office and I'm not going to prejudice their decision about this case.

"What I would say is that Kanye West has no business headlining the wireless festival. I think organisers showed a terrible error of judgement in inviting him. These weren't a couple of off colour remarks. These were, I think, a pattern of behaviour.

"The releasing of a song called Heil Hitler, the plastering of that slogan across T shirts, then using bipolar disorder as an excuse, and then when he realised the impact on his fame and his career, came out with a mealy mouthed apology, which has now been given a fig leaf of credibility by festival organisers who should be ashamed of themselves.

"I'm appalled actually. You look at the context in which Kanye West operates. He's got enormous fame, enormous reach. And antisemitism - hatred - against Jewish people in this country and elsewhere has been rising.

"We've seen it manifesting itself not just through online behaviour, verbal abuse, but through physical attacks, including in Heaton Park in Manchester, where people died at the hands of that attack. We saw it more recently with an attack on a charity in north London, a Jewish charity that runs an ambulance service.

"Antisemitism is serious, it can be deadly and people like Kanye West, who have an enormous platform, fame, reach, they have to accept the responsibility that comes with that. And I don't think he has. I'm only too disappointed the festival organisers are too blind to see it."