Kanye West: Pepsi and Diageo pull Wireless Festival sponsorship
CNN • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Pepsi and Diageo have withdrawn their sponsorship of the UK’s 2026 Wireless Festival following the announcement that Kanye West will headline the event, amid backlash over his antisemitic and offensive remarks.
- Wireless Festival organizers faced criticism from UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the charity Campaign Against Antisemitism, with calls to ban West from entering the UK due to his history of hate speech and promotion of Nazism.
- Kanye West has apologized for his past behavior in a full-page Wall Street Journal ad, admitting to regrettable actions and statements made during a period of mental health struggles.
- The controversy highlights growing concerns about antisemitism in the UK, with recent incidents including an antisemitic arson attack in London’s Jewish community.
- West’s history of antisemitic remarks has led to severed ties with major brands such as Adidas and Balenciaga, and his Australian visa was canceled last year after releasing a pro-Nazi song.
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