Kanye West Concerts Canceled in St. Petersburg Amid Political Backlash

Kanye West's concerts, originally scheduled for October 10-11, were canceled in St. Petersburg following backlash from conservative Russian politicians regarding his past support of Nazism. The business newspaper Kommersant reported that West earned approximately $20 million from the two canceled shows, and he is unlikely to return the funds because his contracts typically do not include such clauses. Say Agency, the event organizer, announced it would begin refunding tickets on October 12.

The cancellation has led to civil lawsuits against Say Agency and ticket operator Intickets, with court hearings scheduled for early next month. Furthermore, Russian law enforcement agencies have initiated a preliminary investigation into Say Agency over possible fraud.