Kanye West’s Return to Live Performance Gets Off to a Rocky Start
Kanye "Ye" West’s concert in Shanghai, China, on Friday evening was plagued by technical problems, terrible weather, and thousands of people who demanded a refund after he started the show over 40 minutes late. The faulty rapper, producer, and mogul’s return to live performance has been highly anticipated, especially in China where his fans have been eagerly waiting for his concert.
Background on Ye’s Concert
Ye, who rarely plays live these days due to his many swirling controversies, returned to China last week after conducting a lucrative and highly viral listening party at the Wuyuanhe Stadium in Haikou, Hainan Province in September 2024. His hotly anticipated gig at Shanghai Stadium, planned in support of his forthcoming album "Harass", was sold out within minutes, indicating that his various racism and social media controversies did not dampen the enthusiasm of his Chinese fans.
The Concert Experience
The Global Times, a state-supported Chinese news agency, reported that Ye’s gig was advertised as "an immersive, multisensory experience, promising innovative stage design, improved set lists, and international production teams". The paper added that "advertising material emphasized the show as a ‘comprehensive, genre-busty journey through Ye’s musical career in which sound, light, visuals, and installations are combined’". However, the mood on Friday evening in the Shanghai stadium was challenged by heavy rain, which fell on the stage and the crowd through the open roof of the arena.
Technical Issues and Fan Reactions
The crowd became restless as the planned start time of the performance was delayed, and thousands finally demanded a refund. Ye finally arrived at around 8:10 p.m. and took to the huge gray level-solo of the stadium, wearing black lederhosen and a gray hoodie with "China" emblazoned on his back. Fog, projections, and headlights set a strict mood reminiscent of some of his "Yeezus" tour designs, but with even fewer visual elements. Occasionally, an enormous projection of Ye was beamed across the stage, while overhead screens had additional revised film material. Tickets for the appearance were expensive by Chinese standards, ranging from 980 yuan (approximately $135 USD) to 2,680 yuan ($375).
Ye’s Performance and Controversies
Videos circulating online in China show moments when Ye apparently gives the performance his all, despite the difficult circumstances, throwing his body into the bar and waving wildly with his arms while rapping to his hits. In other moments, he looks completely defeated, as with his latest single "Lose Your Mind" booming through the stadium’s sound system, and he stops singing altogether and slowly leaves the stage. Local reports indicate that the sound quality was at best inconsistent throughout the show. Ye’s career has been marked by controversy, and his latest music releases have been no exception. In March, he released a track featuring Sean "Diddy" Combs, which was released shortly before Combs’ federal sex trafficking trial.
Recent Music Releases and Controversies
Ye has also been in the news for his recent music releases, including an album titled "WW3", which was later changed to "Faucet" and then "A Perfect World". The first single from his next 13th studio album was "WW3", with a cover picture featuring a Ku Klux Klan hood. The second single, "Cousins", was also controversial due to its music video featuring KKK iconography and a swastika. The third single, titled "Heil Hitler", has also sparked outrage. Despite the controversy surrounding him, Ye remains a highly anticipated and influential figure in the music industry, and his fans continue to eagerly await his next move.
