50 Cent is worried about what Ye’s (formerly Kanye West) public reaction will be to seeing major sponsors such as Pepsi pulling out of Wireless Fest, after the polarizing Grammy-winning rapper was tapped to headline three nights at the London-based festival.
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“Oh I know he sick Bro he might black out again. LOL,” 50 wrote to Instagram on Monday (April 6).
50’s comment section seemed to be filled with Ye supporters. “Don’t nobody drink Pepsi anyways,” one person wrote. Another added: “Ye is bigger than the program!”
Pepsi announced it was ditching its role as the primary sponsor of Wireless Fest on Sunday (April 5) following the festival’s plan to have West headline three separate nights at Finsbury Park. Alcoholic beverage company Diageo also confirmed on Easter that it has dropped its sponsorship of Wireless Fest after Ye’s involvement.
West’s booking has received backlash due to his string of antisemitic remarks in recent years, which he apologized for in January.
“Antisemitism in any form is abhorrent and must be confronted firmly wherever it appears,” prime minister Sir Keir Starmer said in a statement. “Everyone has a responsibility to ensure Britain is a place where Jewish people feel safe.”
London mayor Sadiq Khan said the decision to book Ye wasn’t “reflective of London’s values.”
“We are clear that the past comments and actions of this artist are offensive and wrong, and are simply not reflective of London’s values,” a spokesperson told Complex. “This was a decision taken by the festival organizers and not one that City Hall is involved in.”
It remains to be seen if Wireless Fest will change its stance on West’s performance if sponsors continue to drop out.
Yeezy returned with his Bully album on March 28, which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 with 152,000 equivalent album units earned in the tracking week ending April 2, according to Luminate.
