Watch: Organiser of cancelled Wireless festival says Pepsi approved Kanye as headliner

The organiser of the now-cancelled Wireless music festival said that the giant corporate and then-lead sponsor Pepsi had approved Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, as the 2026 festival’s headline act.

Melvin Benn, speaking to BBC Radio 4, said the company later withdrew its sponsorship after Keir Starmer banned Ye from entering the UK in response to demands from Jewish groups.

Kanye was ‘signed off and approved’ by Pepsi

Melvin Benn, the organizer of wireless festival, says Pepsi had initially approved Ye as a headliner before later withdrawing their sponsorship pic.twitter.com/eVyRxU9h2G

— YEEZY MAFIA (@theyeezymafia) April 7, 2026

The groups demanding the ban include Israel front groups like the so-called Campaign Against Antisemitism and the Board of Deputies of British Jews, which has been behind attacks on UK protest rights and freedom of speech.

Ye has an irrefutable record of antisemitic comments and has even sold merchandise with Nazi swastikas. His “apology” in January has been rightly criticised as insincere. However, for the prime minister to arrogate decisions about which musicians can enter the UK or headline a festival is yet another blow to the wider rights to freedom of speech, which has to include the freedom to express views that offend.

Keir Starmer’s Israel-driven race toward an authoritarian police state — which has often targeted anti-genocide Jews — continues. He no doubt considers banning a racist Black musician as an easy win.

Featured image via the Canary