Wireless Festival Loses Another Sponsor Over Kanye West Headlining Gig
Wireless Festival faces further backlash as Diageo, the parent company of Johnnie Walker, joins Pepsi in withdrawing sponsorship over the booking of Kanye West (Ye) as headliner, amidst widespread criticism regarding his past anti-Semitic remarks.
The Wireless Festival is facing increased pressure following the announcement of Kanye West – now known as Ye – as the headliner for all three nights of the festival in London’s Finsbury Park this July.
These shows are being billed as a three-night journey through his “most iconic records”.
However, the booking has been met with considerable criticism, including from prominent figures such as Sir Keir Starmer, who voiced his deep concern over Kanye West headlining Wireless despite his history of anti-Semitic remarks and celebration of Nazism.
Keir Starmer
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has also spoken out against the decision, along with organizations like the Jewish Leadership Council and the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism.
Sadiq Khan
This morning, Sajid David, chair of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, condemned Wireless for booking West, suggesting the Home Secretary might prevent the rapper from entering the UK if Wireless doesn’t cancel the shows.
This follows Pepsi's decision to withdraw as the primary sponsor of Wireless yesterday, ending a partnership that began in 2015.
Now, drinks giant Diageo – the company behind Johnnie Walker and Captain Morgan – have also announced that they are withdrawing their funding for the festival.
A spokesperson stated, “We have informed the organisers of our concerns and as it stands, Diageo will not sponsor the 2026 Wireless festival,” according to ITV News.
NME has reached out to Wireless Festival for comment.
West's history of anti-Semitic remarks dates back to 2022, leading to suspensions from Instagram and Twitter, and the termination of partnerships with his lawyer, talent agency, record label, and fashion brands like Balenciaga and Adidas.
Initially, West refused to apologize, even suggesting Jewish people should “forgive Hitler.” However, in 2023, he issued an apology to the Jewish community, later blaming alcohol for his behavior.
Despite the apology, numerous lawsuits have been filed against the rapper alleging extensive anti-Semitic behavior, including claims that he stated Jewish people were “working together to hold him back” and praised Hitler.
In early 2025, West retracted his apology and declared himself “a Nazi,” only to later claim, “after further reflection,” that he’d “come to the realization that I’m not a Nazi,” followed by the appearance of more swastika apparel on his X page.
West has since attempted to atone for his actions by meeting with a rabbi and publishing a full-page apology in The Wall Street Journal.
However, he did not address the controversy while kicking off his tour earlier this week, but did tell the crowd at the SoFi Stadium: “Tonight we’re going to put all this behind us, ain’t that right LA?” on Friday (April 3).
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