Kanye West, who has faced repeated bans from several European venues over controversial antisemitic comments, is expected to perform two concerts in the Netherlands this June, according to officials announced on Friday.
The 48-year-old rapper, also known as “Ye”, has drawn widespread criticism for remarks seen as glorifying Nazi leader Adolf Hitler and for antisemitic outbursts. He has attributed his behaviour to a bipolar disorder diagnosis.
Despite public opposition, the mayor of Arnhem in eastern Netherlands, Ahmed Marcouch, approved a permit for the shows, describing the artist’s past comments as “reprehensible”.
The decision comes after a majority in the Dutch House of Representatives urged authorities to block the rapper from entering the country.
However, asylum and migration minister Bart van den Brink said there were no legal grounds to prevent his entry.
“You need clear reasons to bar people from your country. We did not find those in the analyses that were conducted,” said Van den Brink.
West is scheduled to perform in Arnhem on June 6 and June 8 — the latter coinciding with his birthday.
Beyond the Netherlands, his European tour includes a planned appearance in Istanbul on May 30. He is also expected to perform in Tirana on July 11 and Prague on July 25.
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However, his recent statements and actions have triggered widespread backlash across the continent.
Last year, he released a song titled “Heil Hitler” and promoted swastika-themed T-shirts on his website, sparking outrage over his planned tour.
In response, the United Kingdom barred him from entering the country to headline a festival, forcing organisers to cancel the event.
Shortly after, a planned concert in Marseille was postponed amid reports that France’s interior minister was seeking to block the performance.
A concert scheduled for June 19 in Poland was also cancelled, with the country’s culture minister stating that Poland aimed to prevent him from promoting Nazism.
Swiss football club FC Basel later confirmed it had rejected an approach to host a Kanye West concert.
Earlier in January, West placed a full-page advertisement in the Wall Street Journal defending himself, stating: “I am not a Nazi or an antisemite” and “I love Jewish people”.
He also said his past behaviour stemmed from a manic episode linked to bipolar disorder.