Pepsi has withdrawn its sponsorship of Wireless Festival following backlash over the decision to book Kanye West as this year’s headliner. The controversial rapper, who now goes by Ye, has been announced as the headliner for all three nights of the festival in London’s Finsbury Park in July. The booking has prompted widespread criticism, including from Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and London Mayor Sadiq Khan, due to Ye’s previous anti-Semitic remarks and celebration of Nazism.
Ye’s anti-Semitic remarks began in 2022, leading to his accounts being suspended on social media and him being dropped by his lawyer, talent agency, and record label. Despite delivering an apology to the Jewish community in 2023, numerous lawsuits have been filed against him with claims of extensive anti-Semitic behavior. Pepsi’s decision to cut ties with the festival comes after the company had been the primary sponsor of Wireless since 2015, with the festival previously being branded ‘Pepsi MAX presents Wireless’.
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