In May 2025, Kanye West, also known as Ye, released his single Heil Hitler. It was the logical conclusion to several years of racist, sexist and homophobic outbursts, and the song ended with a lengthy sample from one of the Nazi dictator’s speeches. This was only a couple of months after he stepped out in his new swastika T-shirt, which he also made available from his website for $20. Merch is so important in brand-building these days.

An epic list of companies had already broken links with West after similar disgraces in 2022. After last year’s Nazi outrage, he was sued by his own talent agency, while the Australian government revoked his visa and blocked him from entering the country. By 2025, Russell Brand and Andrew Tate were among his last remaining allies.

So when it was announced this week that he would be headlining all three days of this year’s Wireless festival in London’s Finsbury Park, it was, shall we say, a little surprising. The news immediately brought widespread condemnation from Jewish groups, the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and the Liberal Democrat leader, Ed Davey.

In a press release on Monday, the Wireless organisers, Festival Republic, said West’s “UK comeback will be an extraordinary chapter in Wireless’s story”. Maybe the ghost of Leni Riefenstahl can shoot the film version?........

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