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Kanye West is watching another European door potentially close as Dutch political voices are asking whether the controversial rap icon should even be allowed to touch down for his planned summer shows. This is getting ugly. It looked like YE’s overseas run might be a triumphant return to global stages, but now the narrative is changing.
Word coming out of the Netherlands suggests members of the Dutch political parties CDA and ChristenUnie are urging officials to examine whether YE should be denied entry due to the same controversies that recently got him barred from the United Kingdom. Nothing has been officially decided, but the mere discussion has already created a cloud over his scheduled June 6 and June 8 concerts at the GelreDome in Arnhem. Oh boy.
The shows themselves are not exactly struggling. The June 6 sold out quickly and it had a list of 500,000 people trying to get in. Promoters added a second performance on June 8, which also happens to be YE’s birthday. That show is not yet sold out, but it is only a matter of time.
Promoter J.Noah Live sounded nothing but optimistic when announcing the expansion, noting the overwhelming demand and promising a massive production filled with performance art and visuals. Meanwhile, the political pressure seems to be building quietly in the background. That’s a lot of money on the line too.
The UK did YE filthy today. Whether you are for or against, he got done. Governments are not having it and that is real power. This is becoming a new normal even for global superstars.
What will they do? For now, the concerts remain.
