The artist formerly known as Kanye West has postponed his show in Marseille, France after reports surfaced that efforts were in motion to bar him from performing in the region.
In a statement shared to X, the once-great platform formerly known as Twitter, Ye said he had made the decision “after much thought and consideration,” later adding a bit more context in a follow-up post.
“I know it takes time to understand the sincerity of my commitment to make amends,” Ye said on Tuesday evening (April 14). “I take full responsibility for what’s mine but I don’t want to put my fans in the middle of it. My fans are everything to me. Looking forward to the next shows. See you at the top of the globe.”
The postponement of Ye’s France show, originally set for June 11, comes after the cancelation of London’s Wireless Festival, which was initially set to see the 24-time Grammy winner headlining all three nights.
In a statement serving as an addendum to his full-page Wall Street Journal from January, and shared just before the cancelation was confirmed, Ye said that his “only goal” with the planned three-night stint was to “present a show of change” through his music.
“I would be grateful for the opportunity to meet with members of the Jewish community in the UK in person, to listen,” Ye, who was ultimately blocked from traveling to the country, said in a statement shared with Complex earlier this month. “I know words aren’t enough. I’ll have to show change through my actions. If you’re open, I’m here.”
In the aforementioned WSJ ad, Ye spoke at length about his experiences with bipolar disorder, saying that he “fell into a four-month-long manic episode of psychotic, paranoid, and impulsive behavior” that “destroyed” his life early last year.
He also conceded to having “gravitated toward the most destructive symbol” he could find, i.e. the swastika, adding that he his personal struggles with bipolar type I—which, unlike bipolar type II, can cause manic episodes—led to “poor judgment” on his part.
“I regret and am deeply mortified by my actions in that state, and am committed to accountability, treatment, and meaningful change,” he wrote at the time. “It does not excuse what I did, though. I am not a Nazi or an antisemite. I love Jewish people.”
Bully, Ye’s latest solo album, was released in March. The album opened at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, falling just one spot to No. 3 in the following week’s chart update. The release was commemorated with two shows at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, with special guests including Lauryn Hill and North West.
