Kanye West performs in Russia by October 31?

Kanye West Cancels Russia Concert… Dilemma Over Pro-Nazi Actions

Anna Kiseleva, editor of the "Society" section of the Vedomosti newspaper, explained in an opinion column what provoked the scandal with Kanye West in Russia. Key points: West is a talented performer who has long since moved away from the rap with which he is still associated. For the past two decades, since 2008, West has been experimenting, blurring the boundaries between musical genres. Among audiences outside the rapper's circle of fans, he is better known for his scandalous behavior than for his music. On the day Germany surrendered and World War II ended in most of Europe and the United States, West released a song with a Nazi salute as its refrain. West's talent in Russia has not been canceled – unlike his concerts. Max | Telegram | Newsletter | iOS App | Android

Ka-nyet! Kanye West concerts canceled in Russia.

From the announcement of his concerts last week to a venue backing out days later, US rap star Kanye West's two planned shows in Russia have captivated the country, with officials divided about whether they should go ahead. • •

Russia has never closed its doors to Kanye West, but there are questions about him for praising Hitler, said Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova. According to a SHOT correspondent, the diplomat stated that our country is open to any foreign artist, including those from Western countries. This includes Kanye West. However, his performance praising fascism and displaying a swastika raises many questions. According to Zakharova, such behavior is expected from mentally ill people, but not from a global superstar who sells out stadiums. It was previously announced that American rapper Kanye West would perform in St. Petersburg on October 10 and 11. However, representatives of the Gazprom Arena, where the performance was scheduled to take place, later stated that the contract had not been signed, and therefore the Western star would not be able to perform at the stadium. Organizers, for their part, assure that nothing has been canceled yet and ask viewers to be patient. SHOT at MAX:

"It looks like a naked party." An RBC source close to the presidential administration says that "everything is now moving toward Kanye's concert not happening." However, there are also supporters of the concert in the presidential administration who believe it refutes the thesis about Russia's isolation. What's behind the concert of one of the most popular American rappers, Kanye West, in Russia, who is canceling it and why, and whether it can still take place - read in the RBC subscription. RBC channel on "Max" RBC app for iOS and Android

Updates to official information about Kanye West's concert in St. Petersburg can only be posted on the resources of the organizer, Say Agency, Gazprom Arena reported. "Any information published on other resources that is not confirmed by the specified communication channels should be considered unreliable," the statement said. More IZ RU news in MAX [in reply to: Kanye West's concert in St. Petersburg has not been officially canceled, says organizer Say Agency. "Our team is in touch with the artist and is currently doing everything possible to put on two unforgettable shows for you," the statement said. On August 24, Gazprom Arena announced that the rapper's concerts cannot take place at its venue. The stadium is not the organizer of the event, and no lease agreement has been signed with it, the statement said. After this, the performance disappeared from the arena's announcements. Say Agency claims that preparations are continuing as usual. Meanwhile, Gazprom Arena stated that organizers began selling tickets and advertising the concert without the necessary documents. More IZ RU news in MAX]

A St. Petersburg resident managed to return tickets to a Kanye West concert for a VIP box, which she purchased for 176,000 rubles, Fontanka reports. To do this, the audience member emailed the organizer of the artist's performance, citing "consumer protection laws and poor information about the conditions—specific seat numbers were not specified, even though it was a single ticket." In response, she received a letter from the ticket sales operator Inticets, instructing her to file a refund request. On August 24, Gazprom Arena stated that it "had not signed any stadium rental agreements for the event" and "the concert cannot take place at the venue." The organizer, Say Agency, stated that it had signed an agreement with the venue, the artist had been sent an advance, and the ticket sales and announcement had been synchronized with Gazprom Arena. Say Agency emphasized that the concerts have not been canceled and also asked fans to "be patient," assuring that issues with holding the show are being resolved. In what cases tickets can be returned and what will happen to them if a concert is canceled - in the RBC article. RBC channel on "Max" RBC app for iOS and Android [in reply to: Say Agency, the organizer of rapper Kanye West's concerts, asked fans "not to panic and to be patient." The appeal was published on the organization's Telegram channel. "The concerts have not been canceled. Our team is in touch with the artist and is currently doing everything possible to bring you two unforgettable YE shows,” the statement said. RBC Channel on Max RBC app for iOS and Android]

Kanye West's concert in St. Petersburg has not been officially canceled, Say Agency claims. "Our team is in contact with the artist and is currently doing everything possible to bring you two unforgettable shows," Say Agency said in a statement. On August 24, Gazprom Arena announced that the rapper's concerts could not take place at its venue. The stadium is not the organizer of the event, and no lease agreement was signed with it, the statement said. After this, the performance disappeared from the arena's announcements. Say Agency claims that preparations are continuing as usual. At the same time, Gazprom Arena stated that the organizers began selling tickets and advertising the concert without the necessary documents. More news from IZ RU in MAX [in reply to: The organizer of Kanye West's concert began an advertising campaign and ticket sales without the necessary documents to hold the concert, Gazprom Arena states. "If we talk about us, there was and is no lease agreement for the venue. The event cannot take place without a lease agreement," the statement said. On August 24, a month and a half before the rapper's concerts in St. Petersburg, Gazprom Arena stated that they cannot take place at their venue. The statement emphasized that the stadium is not the organizer of the event, and no lease agreement for the venue was signed. Following the cancellation announcements, the concert also disappeared from the Gazprom Arena website. However, concert organizer Say Agency states that preparations for the concert are continuing as usual, and the American rapper's performance has not been canceled. More IZ RU news in MAX]

"The concert cannot take place in our venue": Saint Petersburg stadium cancels Kanye West's appearance

At the site of the Say Agency office, which is organizing Kanye West's concert in St. Petersburg, there is construction and a closed door, Baza has discovered. The company's legal address is in Sokolniki, on the territory of a loft on Kolodezny Lane. In the courtyard where the company, which collected more than three billion from Russian fans of the American rapper, is supposed to be located, there is construction, and the door to the agency itself is inconspicuous. It was impossible to open it; by midday on Tuesday, it was closed. At a nearby woodworking workshop, Baza was told that only "some kind of catering service" was located nearby. Other employees of the companies working in the loft have never heard of such an agency. BAZA on Telegram BAZA on MAX

Organizers of American rapper Kanye West's concert have ruled out moving the event to another venue; it is planned to be held at Gazprom Arena, SAY Agency CEO Anna Subcheva told RBC. "We don't plan to change the venue. We will still try, and we are currently trying to sign a lease agreement, providing the venue with all the necessary documents. We are in the process of resolving this issue," she said. On August 24, Gazprom Arena announced that it had not signed a contract to host Kanye West's concert, and therefore the event will not be able to take place at this venue. SAY Agency confirmed that the process of coordinating the concert with the venue is not yet complete, although the organizers have already signed the contract. West has already received an advance payment for two performances in Russia. RBC Channel on Max RBC App for iOS and Android [in reply to: Gazprom Arena stated that organizers sold tickets to a Kanye West concert without documents. "The organizer began an advertising campaign and ticket sales without the necessary documents to hold the concert. As for us, there was and is no lease agreement for the venue. The event cannot take place without a lease agreement," the venue said in a statement. RBC Channel on Max RBC App for iOS and Android]

"They cannot take place in our stadium": the stadium slated to host Kanye West's two Russian concerts reverses course

"They cannot take place in our stadium": the stadium meant to host Kanye West's two Russian concerts reverses its decision

Russian fans of Kanye West will irrevocably lose over 300 million rubles if his concert is cancelled. This is a service fee, which, according to the contract, is non-refundable under any circumstances. According to Baza, tickets for the shows on October 10th and 11th are almost sold out, with 1-2% of seats remaining. In total, fans have already paid over 3.5 billion rubles for tickets. Each buyer on top of this amount pays a service fee—about 10% of the ticket price. For the cheapest ticket at 9,000 rubles, it was 900 rubles, and for a seat in the VIP box at 160,000 rubles, it was 16,000. The offer clearly states: the fee is non-refundable if the client cancels, or in the event of cancellation, replacement, or postponement of the event. The concerts are brought by Moscow-based Say Agency LLC. At the end of 2025, his accounts held 172,000 rubles, with a loss of 163 million for the year and a staff of six. The company is in its second year of hosting concerts, and its total revenue last year was 346 million rubles, ten times less than the revenue from Kanye's two concerts. BAZA on Telegram BAZA on MAX

Gazprom Arena doesn't know the basis for publishing the announcement of Kanye's show at their venue. The concert poster was posted on their website until 12:30 PM on Tuesday, and the repost of the ticket giveaway on Telegram is still there. Yes, the concert announcement and ticket giveaway were published on Gazprom Arena's official social media on August 17th. We don't deny this. However, at this time, we cannot provide further comment on the basis for these publications, the stadium's press service stated. As a reminder, the management of Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium stated that they were ready to accept the rapper into their fold if such a request was received. Vitaly Borodin responded by sending an appeal to the Moscow government demanding that the performance be cancelled. The activist has already celebrated the cancellation of Ye's concert. Fans who spent tens of thousands of rubles have already bombarded Gazprom Arena with reports of "fraud." Photos and videos not loading? Read us on MAX

The organizer of a Kanye West concert began advertising and ticket sales without the necessary documents, Gazprom Arena representatives said. "As for us, there was and is no lease agreement for the venue. The event cannot take place without a lease agreement," the venue said in a statement. It is still unknown whether West will perform in Russia. Anna Subcheva, CEO of Say Agency, told RIA Novosti on August 25 that the American rapper had already received an advance payment for the concerts in St. Petersburg. Fontanka, citing sources, wrote that ticket sales for the concert began before the event was approved by city authorities. Jason Persse Max | Telegram | Newsletter | iOS App | Android

Kanye West's concerts cannot take place without a signed contract, Gazprom Arena stated, while the organizer claims the show's cancellation is a hoax. The venue reported that the agency began its advertising campaign and ticket sales without the necessary documents: "As for us, there was and is no lease agreement for the venue." Meanwhile, the organizers of Say Agency stated that the concerts have not been canceled and that preparations are proceeding as usual. According to them, all issues that have arisen are currently being resolved. SHOT at MAX: [in reply to: Organizers could have received almost 4 billion rubles for tickets sold to Kanye West concerts According to SHOT, despite the fact that the rapper's concerts on October 10 and 11 are in question, all rooms in the most expensive Four Seasons hotel in the center of St. Petersburg have been sold for the dates from October 8 to 12. Kanye West is expected to arrive in St. Petersburg on October 8th, and it's possible the entire hotel will be closed for him. Organizer Say Agency claims the lease agreement must be signed by August 27th, concerts have not been canceled, and negotiations are ongoing. The cost of renting a large stadium with a capacity of up to 80,000 people, including special effects and full use of the infrastructure, could reach up to 70 million rubles. As we wrote, Gazprom Arena announced yesterday that Kanye West's concerts would not take place at their venue. The rapper and his team have not yet made any official statements. The organizer has explicitly declared tickets purchased from August 14th to 23rd, 2026, non-refundable at the buyer's initiative. However, cancellation or postponement of a concert removes the non-refundability option. SHOT MAX:

URGENT: Rapper Kanye West is not canceling his visit to Russia, according to concert organizers.

URGENT Rapper Kanye West received an advance payment for a concert in Russia - organizers

Organizers could have received almost 4 billion rubles from sold tickets to Kanye West concerts According to SHOT, despite the fact that the rapper’s concerts on October 10 and 11 are in question, all rooms in the most expensive hotel Four Seasons in the center of St. Petersburg are sold out for the dates from October 8 to 12. Kanye West is expected to fly to St. Petersburg on October 8, and it is possible that the entire hotel will be closed for him. Organizer Say Agency claims that the lease agreement must be signed before August 27, the concerts have not been canceled, and negotiations are ongoing. The cost of renting a large stadium, which seats up to 80 thousand people, taking into account special effects and full use of the infrastructure, can reach 70 million rubles. As we wrote, the day before, Gazprom Arena announced that Kanye West’s concerts will not take place at their venue. The rapper himself and his team have not yet made any official statements. Tickets purchased from August 14th to 23rd, 2026, were explicitly declared non-refundable by the organizer at the buyer's initiative. However, cancellation or postponement of the concert will remove the non-refundability option. SHOT MAX: [in reply to: Kanye West's concerts in St. Petersburg are in serious doubt. Tickets for the show at Gazprom Arena are sold out, and refunds may not occur. What is known at this point: — Initially, two Ye concerts were announced in St. Petersburg - October 10th and 11th, 2026. The venue was called Gazprom Arena. The announcement appeared on August 17th, with the arena itself publishing information about the concerts on its social media. The organizer is the Moscow agency Say Agency. — On August 24, Gazprom Arena officially announced that it had not signed a stadium lease agreement for the concerts. — Say Agency, in turn, stated that the concert had not been canceled. According to the organizers, negotiations were underway with the arena, and the agreement was in the formalization stage. They learned of the stadium's announcement from the media. It was reported that more than 100,000 tickets had been sold for the two concerts. — Kanye West has not yet commented on the situation with the St. Petersburg concerts to SHOT. Will Ye's concert take place? — Yes, it definitely will. — No, it's all ruined! — I'll go see Sergey Lazarev. SHOT MAX: