Rapper Kanye West is set to headline the Rolling Loud festival in Los Angeles this summer, with industry executives and Jewish leaders saying his performance poses a threat.
“I was surprised when I first heard that Kanye was headlining Rolling Loud because it seemed unnecessarily risky for the festival,” Dave Brooks, Billboard’s senior director of live music and touring, said. “Kanye and Ty have successfully completed five listening party events,” Brooks said. “The Rolling Loud guys are definitely using the performance to drive ticket sales and are positioning themselves to look very smart if the show goes off without any major disruptions.”“Many people — both fans and executives inside of the music industry — are struggling to make sense of Kanye’s return in light of all the antisemitic and terrible things he has said or written on social media,” Brooks said.
“Anyone feeling validated by Kanye will feel more comfortable perpetuating literally medieval hate speech after this,” Ruttenberg claimed. Notably, West’s upcoming performance at Rolling Loud will be his first live show in Los Angeles since his benefit concert with fellow rapper Drake in 2021.