Russian activist Vitaly Borodin, known for filing complaints against opposition musicians and journalists, said he plans to ask the authorities to cancel two upcoming concerts by U.S. rapper Kanye West in St. Petersburg.
West is scheduled to perform in the Russian city on October 10 and 11.
“Do you really think it is enough to sign the contract, transfer the money and that's it? No, friends, we will not allow this individual to make millions in our country,” Borodin wrote on social media.
He accused West of having a poor reputation “even in the West” and of making “scandalous antisemitic statements.” Borodin also criticized West’s wife for allegedly appearing publicly without clothes, saying this contradicts standards of decency.
Plans for West’s two concerts in St. Petersburg were announced on Monday, with almost all tickets reportedly selling out within hours. Hotel bookings in the former imperial capital also reportedly doubled following the announcement.
West visited Moscow in 2024 to attend the birthday celebration of a Russian designer with whom he had previously worked.
At the same time, rumors circulated about a possible West concert at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium, although the event never took place.
Two days ago, the rapper performed in Kazakhstan as part of his controversial world tour, marking his first major performance in Central Asia. The tour has already taken him to several countries, including Spain.
The main controversy surrounding the tour stems from West’s previous antisemitic statements, including praise for Nazism and the posting of swastika images on his social media accounts in 2022. In 2025, he also sold a swastika-emblazoned shirt through his official store.
In January 2026, West published a lengthy apology in The Wall Street Journal titled “To Whom I Have Hurt,” in which he apologized to both the Jewish and Black communities. He attributed his behavior to psychological problems, specifically a severe manic episode aggravated by bipolar disorder.
