American rapper Kanye West will perform in Tirana in July, Albania's culture minister told AFP on Saturday, happy that the country is taking “a new step” towards becoming “a destination for major cultural events”.
The artist, also known by the stage name “Ye”, has been criticized for anti-Semitic remarks and glorification of Nazism and Adolf Hitler, claims he has walked back and blamed on bipolar disorder.
Due to his controversial actions in the past, events he was due to appear at in London and Poland this summer have been cancelled.
Britain banned him from entering the country, which led to the cancellation of the music festival where he was to headline in July. That's what happened with the event at a Polish stadium, where he was supposed to perform on June 19.
“Kanye West's widely discussed actions of promoting Nazism are in clear contradiction to Poland's values,” said Warsaw government culture minister Marta Cienkowska.
In recent years, the 48-year-old rapper has lost fans and a number of sponsorships due to his controversial statements and actions.
Albanian Culture Minister Blendi Gonxhe told AFP on Saturday that the July 11 event “marks a new step in the transformation of Albania into a destination for major cultural events”.
A special structure for the concert, with a capacity of 60,000 seats, is under construction.
How Kanye West Explained Past Claims
In January, the American rapper bought a full page in The Wall Street Journal to talk about his behavior in recent years.
He said at the time that he was undergoing treatment for a brain condition after suffering “a four-month manic episode with psychotic, paranoid and impulsive behavior that destroyed my life” last year, according to Variety.
“I regret and am deeply ashamed of my actions in that state and I am committed to taking responsibility, treatment and real change. However, that does not excuse what I did. I am not a Nazi and I am not anti-Semitic. I love Jewish people,” he wrote.
