Pepsi Pulls Wireless Festival Sponsorship Amid Kanye West Controversy
Pepsi has withdrawn its sponsorship of London's Wireless Festival following criticism over Kanye West's booking, marking a significant response to the artist's past antisemitic remarks.
The Wireless Festival in London is facing turbulent waters as Pepsi, its main sponsor for a decade, announced its withdrawal on Sunday. This decision comes amid controversy surrounding Kanye West's scheduled three-night headline performance – his first in the U.K. in 11 years.
The move follows sharp criticism from British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who stated, "It is deeply concerning that Kanye West has been booked to perform at Wireless despite his previous antisemitic remarks and celebration of Nazism."
Starmer emphasized the importance of confronting antisemitism and ensuring the safety and security of Jewish people in Britain. His sentiments echoed those of London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who told Rolling Stone that West's past actions "are offensive and wrong, and are simply not reflective of London’s values."
Pepsi, which has been the festival's sponsor since 2015 under the banner "Pepsi MAX Presents Wireless,” released a statement shortly after Starmer's comments, confirming their withdrawal, according to the Guardian.
As of Sunday morning, the festival's website still promoted "Pepsi MAX Presents Wireless.” Festival organizers have yet to comment on either booking West or the loss of Pepsi as a sponsor. Tickets for the July 2026 festival are slated to go on sale Tuesday.
The Wireless controversy unfolds against the backdrop of West’s recent return to the North American stage with a sold-out performance at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium. Earlier this year, West issued an apology in a Wall Street Journal ad for his past controversial statements and antisemitic outbursts, but has remained publicly silent on this latest controversy.
Related Articles
Listen to Kanye West on Foxsoundi. Click here to listen!
Comments (0)
Login to comment