Plans for the rapper known as Kanye West to perform two concerts in Russia have been thrown into confusion after the designated venue announced the shows would not take place. The Gazprom Arena in St Petersburg stated that no official rental contract had been finalized, meaning the heavily anticipated events cannot proceed at the site.

The stadium operators released a public statement clarifying that they bore no responsibility for booking the artist. Venue management noted they had received multiple complaints regarding the scheduled performances before deciding to distance themselves from the event.

The concerts, which had reportedly sold out for October 10 and 11, were organized by the Moscow-based events firm Say Agency. Representatives for the agency expressed complete surprise at the stadium's announcement, stating they learned of the cancellation through media channels at the same time as the general public.

Say Agency maintained that the performances remained officially active despite the venue's statement. Organizers reported they were attempting to communicate with stadium officials to clarify the situation and resolve the dispute. According to the promoters, an official approval letter had previously been issued by the venue, and the deadline for signing the formal rental agreement was not set to expire until later in the week.

The sudden reversal follows a wave of international scheduling difficulties for the musician, whose current world tour has faced multiple cancellations. Promoters across several European nations previously scrapped his scheduled appearances following heavy backlash over his past antisemitic statements.

The artist, who legally changed his name to Ye, has spent recent months attempting to rebuild his public profile. His career suffered severe setbacks beginning in 2022 due to a series of hateful remarks and offensive online behavior that resulted in the termination of major corporate partnerships. Earlier this year, the performer issued a public apology via a newspaper advertisement, attributing his previous conduct to a severe manic episode connected to his mental health diagnosis.

If the St Petersburg dates had proceeded, the rapper would have marked a significant milestone as the most prominent Western musician to perform in Russia since the country's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. While no official government intervention has been confirmed, the booking drew sharp criticism from conservative domestic politicians, including nationalist lawmakers who voiced strong opposition to the visit.

Ticketholders voiced frustration on social media following the conflicting announcements from the venue and the promoters. Say Agency pledged to provide further updates to the public as soon as discussions with the stadium yield clarity on the fate of the concerts.

Reporting based on coverage first published by BBC News. Read the original report at BBC News.