Kanye West performs for 118,000 in Turkey despite being banned in several other countries

US rapper Kanye West, known as Ye, drew a massive crowd of 118,000 to Istanbul's Ataturk Olympic Stadium for a two-hour performance on Saturday night. This concert marked his first appearance in Europe since 2014 and his debut performance in Turkey.

The event took place despite West facing significant backlash and bans from performing in several other countries due to his history of antisemitic comments. These remarks have included statements praising Adolf Hitler and the release of content featuring Nazi imagery. Fans from various European nations, including Britain, Germany, France, and Italy, as well as the Middle East, were reportedly in attendance.

West's controversial statements have led to a wave of cancellations across Europe. In April, Britain denied him entry, citing that his presence would not be conducive to the public good, which resulted in the cancellation of a planned appearance at London's Wireless Festival. Later that month, a show in Marseille was postponed amid reports of the French government attempting to block it, and a concert in Poland was also subsequently canceled.

In January, West published a full-page advertisement in The Wall Street Journal, renouncing his past admiration for Hitler and apologizing for his behavior. He attributed these actions to an undiagnosed brain injury and untreated bipolar disorder. Despite these apologies, the rapper is scheduled to perform in the Netherlands on June 6 and 8.