Kanye West responds to Wireless Festival backlash after major sponsors pull out over headline slot

Kanye West has spoken out after facing major backlash after Wireless Festival organisers announced him as this year's headline act.

It was confirmed last week that the 48-year-old would perform at Finsbury Park in North London on 10, 11 and 12 July, despite having publicly voiced antisemitic views on several occasions in recent years.

Last year, he released a song titled 'Heil Hitler', and advertised a Swastika T-shirt on his official clothing site.

In numerous social media statements, West has also hailed the Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler and praised his attempted eradication of Europe's Jewish population during the Second World War.

The father-of-four apologised for these remarks back in January in place of a full-page advert in the Wall Street Journal newspaper, claiming they'd been spurred by an episode of bipolar disorder.

West's appearance was confirmed last week (Joseph Okpako/WireImage)

This mental health battle, he insisted at the time, had plunged him into a 'four-month-long, manic episode of psychotic, paranoid and impulsive behaviour that destroyed my life'.

After news of his upcoming UK performance hit headlines, several of Wireless' most loyal sponsors withdrew their support, including cola-drink brand Pepsi, alcoholic beverage giant Diageo and drinks company Rockstar Energy.

A spokesperson for PayPal confirmed that none of the company's branding would be featured at this year's musical gathering.

Writing a letter in response to calls to have him removed from the Wireless line-up (that was sent to the press by his talent representatives), West claimed: "I've been following the conversation around Wireless and want to address it directly.

Several brands withdrew their support after West was announced as the headline act (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

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

The rapper added: "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've have to show change through my actions.

"If you're open, I'm here. With Love."

A statement from Melvin Benn, Managing Director at Festival Republic, shared last night (6 Apr) said: "I am a deeply committed anti-fascist and have been all my adult life. I lived on a kibbutz for many months in the 1970’s that was attacked on October 7th, am pro Jew and the Jewish state, while being equally committed to a Palestinian state.

"Having had a person in my life for the last 15 years who suffers from mental illness, I have witnessed many episodes of despicable behaviour that I have had to forgive and move on from. If I wasn’t before, I have become a person of forgiveness and hope in all aspects of my life, including work.

West has released a statement on the controversy (Matthias Nareyek/Getty Images)

"What Ye has said in the past about Jews and Hitler is as abhorrent to me as it is to the Jewish community, the Prime Minister and others that have commented and - taking him at his word - to Ye now also.

"Ye’s music is played on commercial radio stations in this country. It is available via live streams and downloads in this country without comment or vitriol from anyone and he has a legal right to come into the country and to perform in this country. He is intended to come in and perform. We are not giving him a platform to extol opinion of whatever nature, only to perform the songs that are currently played on the radio stations in our country and the streaming platforms in our country and listened to and enjoyed by millions.

"Forgiveness and giving people a second chance are becoming a lost virtue in this ever-increasing divisive world and I would ask people to reflect on their instant comments of disgust at the likelihood of him performing (as was mine) and offer some forgiveness and hope to him as I have decided to do."