Kanye West and wireless festival

Two of Wireless Festival’s sponsors have dropped out over the growing backlash to Kanye West being announced as the headliner.

The news comes after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer addressed his ‘deeply concerning’ return, amid calls to ban him from performing.

Kanye, or Ye as he now goes by, is set to headline all three nights of the Finsbury Park festival in July.

The lineup has been condemned by many as the rapper has spent the past several years shunned from mainstream culture over his antisemitic, racist, and homophobic comments.

Kanye West

Just last May, Kanye released a song titled Heil Hitler, as well as wearing and selling a t-shirt with a swastika on it after declaring himself a Nazi.

‘Pepsi has decided to withdraw its sponsorship of Wireless Festival,’ a spokesperson confirmed to The Independent.

Meanwhile Diageo, owner of the Johnnie Walker and Captain Morgan brands said in a statement to Metro: ‘We have informed the organisers of our concerns, and as it stands, Diageo will not sponsor the 2026 Wireless festival.’

Matt Lucas had called out the company on X for their continued sponsorship in spite of Ye’s recent antisemitic history.

‘Have you released a song called ‘Heil Hitler’?’ he asked. ‘Have you sold T-shirts with swastikas on them? Have you promised to go ‘death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE’?

‘If so, congratulations! You may be eligible to headline @WirelessFest, sponsored by @pepsiuk.’

The withdrawal is significant as Pepsi has been a partner since 2015, with the 2026 festival billed as ‘Pepsi presents Wireless’.

The decision comes after London Mayor Sadiq Khan has already condemned the ‘deeply irresponsible’ decision from festival organisers.

Sir Keir added that it is ‘deeply concerning Kanye West has been booked to perform at Wireless despite his previous antisemitic remarks and celebration of Nazism’.

He continued to The Sun on Sunday: ‘Antisemitism in any form is abhorrent and must be confronted firmly wherever it appears. Everyone has a responsibility to ensure Britain is a place where Jewish people feel safe.’

There are now calls to ban Ye from playing in the UK, with the festival appearance likely earning him well over an estimated £1million per night.

Last month, Chappell Roan was ‘banned’ from playing in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, by the mayor after a security guard, who was not her own, yelled at a little girl.

A spokesperson for the Mayor of London told Metro that Ye’s past comments and actions are ‘offensive and wrong, and are simply not reflective of London’s values.’

They added: ‘This was a decision taken by the festival organisers and not one that City Hall is involved in.’

Wireless Festival, which is sponsored by Pepsi and run by Festival Republic, have not responded to the growing backlash.

Ye did apologise for his behaviour earlier this year, taking out a full-page advert in the Wall Street Journal to explain he had ‘lost touch with reality’.

He declared he is ‘not a Nazi or an antisemite’ and that he ‘loves Jewish people’, leaving him ‘deeply mortified’ by his past behaviour.

While many are vocally against the rapper, including the Jewish Leadership Council and the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism, he seems to have been welcomed back by equal measure.

Ye’s album Bully immediately charted – kept off the top spots by Raye and Olivia Dean – and his shows in Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium were sold out.

Lauryn Hill, Travis Scott, and CeeLo Green felt happy enough to join him on stage while singer Chlöe Bailey was spotted in the crowd.