Fans attending Kanye West’s concert in Shanghai over the weekend started shouting for refunds following his delayed arrival and erratic performance.
The rapper performed at Shanghai Stadium on Saturday night (July 12)—his first show in nearly a year, with his last concert in China taking place last September.
As reported by The Global Times, Ye showed up over 40 minutes late, causing frustration among the approximately 70,000 attendees who began chanting for a refund while waiting. Once he finally took the stage, technical difficulties plagued the performance, with the DJ needing to restart multiple songs. Rain during the concert may have further impacted the overall experience.
The show’s setup was minimal, lacking elaborate lighting or production design, and some audience members noted poor sound quality. The event quickly became a trending topic on Chinese social media, with one user remarking that they had “never experienced such a poorly organized concert.”
Here are some social media reactions to the performance:
“I’ve been a fan of Kanye West since I was a teenager. MBDTF opened my ears to music. It was tough to get tickets for his Shanghai show, and I was so excited. But this was the worst concert I’ve ever attended. @kanyewest, you can do better.”
- Fabian_Lemuel (@Fabian_Lemuel)
“Now Kanye is really a Shanghainese. The REAL 夜上海 finally showed up 40 minutes late to his show in Shanghai. For those familiar with strict rules in China, this time WON’T be added back; they will end the show on schedule.”
- 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐖𝐓𝐘𝐌𝐄 🇨🇳🇺🇸⚜️ (@DetroitShowtyme)
“Shanghai consumers DO NOT PLAY. The crowd was shouting ‘REFUND’ after Ye was late by 40 minutes.”
- 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐖𝐓𝐘𝐌𝐄 🇨🇳🇺🇸⚜️ (@DetroitShowtyme)
Despite the controversies that have dogged him in recent years, including criticism for his comments and songs, Kanye has had difficulty securing live performances. He has only played in China and South Korea since 2023. In fact, a planned performance at a Slovakian festival was canceled amid backlash, sparked by a petition denouncing him for his troubling statements and behavior.
This backlash intensified after he released a controversial song titled ‘Heil Hitler’ on May 8, coinciding with the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany.
In light of these ongoing controversies, Kanye’s ability to perform live remains uncertain, as he continues to face significant public criticism and repercussions on an international scale.
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