Kanye “Ye” West Struggles Through Chaotic, Rain-Soaked Shanghai Concert

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Kanye West, also known as “Ye,” faced challenges during his comeback live performance. The event in Shanghai, China on Friday was marred by technical issues, inclement weather, and crowd discontent when he started the show more than 40 minutes behind schedule. Thousands of attendees reportedly demanded refunds after this delay.

Recently, the artist, who seldom performs live now due to difficulty in finding collaborators undeterred by numerous ongoing controversies, concluded a successful and viral listening event at Wuyuanhe Stadium in Haikou, Hainan Province back in September 2024. His eagerly awaited show at Shanghai Stadium, scheduled as promotion for his upcoming album titled Bully, was snapped up swiftly by fans, as reported locally, implying that the rapper’s past incidents of racism and social media controversies have not dampened the excitement of Chinese audience members.

The Global Times, a Chinese news organization supported by the state and often recognized for its nationalistic views, announced that Kanye West’s concert was marketed as an “immersive, multi-sensorial experience,” promising innovative stage designs, revamped playlists, and global production teams. The advertisements emphasized the show as a “broad, genre-defying voyage through Kanye West’s musical journey, blending sound, light, visuals, and installations.

Initially, the atmosphere at Shanghai Stadium on Friday night was disrupted by incessant rain that seeped through the stadium’s open roof, dampening both the performers and the audience. The crowd became increasingly agitated as the concert started late, with many shouting for their money back after 7:30 pm passed without any sign of the main act. Eventually, Kanye West took the stage around 8:10 pm, walking out alone, dressed in black leather pants and a gray hoodie emblazoned with “China”. The stage was shrouded in fog, accompanied by projections and spotlights, creating an atmosphere similar to some of his Donda performances, but with fewer visual elements. At times, a massive image of West was displayed on the stage, while overhead screens showed additional edited footage.

As reported by the Global Times, the concert tickets ranged significantly more than average prices in China, with costs varying between approximately $135 and $375 in Chinese Yuan.

Videos circulating online in China depict Ye appearing to pour all his effort into his performance under difficult conditions, moving energetically to the rhythm and wildly waving his arms as he raps along to his popular songs. At times, however, he seems utterly drained, such as when his latest single, “Losing Your Mind“, blasts through the stadium’s speakers, causing him to stop singing altogether and walk off the stage slowly. Local reports indicate that the sound quality during the show was unreliable at best.

During the ongoing concert, Ye (also known as Kanye West) became a hot topic on Chinese social media, leading to passionate discussions among fans. Some supporters defended the rapper, attributing the issues to the weather, while others believed it was either a lackluster performance or even a calculated move to profit from China at a time when his brand is less popular in the West.

2025 saw a continuation of Kanye West’s knack for keeping headlines alive, as he pushed boundaries even further. Embracing his controversial image in the entertainment world and pop culture at large, West released a string of highly contentious music tracks and public spectacles this year. One such instance was a song credited to Sean “Diddy” Combs, who was on the brink of a federal sex trafficking trial in March. To add fuel to the fire, West appeared briefly at Combs’ trial in June, following which he released an EP by Christian “King” Combs, Diddy’s son, titled Never Stop.

Musically speaking, in March, Ye (previously known as Kanye West) announced his intention to release an album called WW3.

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2025-07-14 06:54