Pepsi has pulled out of its Wireless Festival sponsorship after criticism over Kanye West.
The controversial rapper had been announced as the headliner for all three nights of this year’s London event, which has been branded Pepsi MAX Presents Wireless as part of a longstanding partnership in place in 2015, but now the food and beverage company has withdrawn its name.
In a statement, a spokesperson told Billboard: “Pepsi has decided to withdraw its sponsorship of Wireless Festival.”
The decision was announced just hours after British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer condemned the decision to book Ye.
He said: “It is deeply concerning that Kanye West has been booked to perform at Wireless despite his previous antisemitic remarks and celebration of Nazism.
“Antisemitism in any form is abhorrent and must be confronted clearly and firmly wherever it appears. Everyone has a responsibility to ensure Britain is a place where Jewish people feel safe and secure.”
The All of the Lights hitmaker – whose new album Bully dropped on March 28 – is set to be performing across three separate nights on July 10-12.
There has been some backlash over Ye’s booking at the event, given the controversy surrounding his previous antisemitic comments and hate speech in recent years, including praising Adolf Hitler and selling t-shirts emblazoned with a Swastika, a notorious Nazi hate symbol.
The UK’s Jewish Leadership Council has branded Wireless Festival’s decision to book Kanye was “deeply irresponsible”.
They added to Billboard: “The UK Jewish community is facing record levels of antisemitism, including a terrorist attack in Manchester, the attack on ambulances in Golders Green and foiled plots which would have killed many more.”
Earlier this year, Kanye took out a full page ad in the Wall Street Journal newspaper, apologising to both the Jewish and Black communities.
Back in January, he wrote: “The scariest thing about this [bipolar] disorder is how persuasive it is when it tells you: You don’t need help. It makes you blind, but convinced you have insight. You feel powerful, certain, unstoppable.
“I lost touch with reality. Things got worse the longer I ignored the problem. I said and did things I deeply regret.
“Some of the people I love the most, I treated the worst. You endured fear, confusion, humiliation, and the exhaustion of trying to have someone who was, at times, unrecognisable. Looking back, I became detached from my true self.
“In that fractured state, I gravitated toward the most destructive symbol I could find, the swastika, and even sold T-shirts bearing it. One of the difficult aspects of having bipolar type-1 are the disconnected moments – many of which I still cannot recall – that led to poor judgment and reckless behaviour that oftentimes feels like an out-of-body-experience.
“I regret and am deeply mortified by my actions in that state, and am committed to accountability, treatment, and meaningful change. It does not excuse what I did though. I am not a Nazi or an antisemite. I love Jewish people…
“In early 2025, I fell into a four-month long manic episode of psychotic, paranoid and impulsive behaviour that destroyed my life. As the situation became increasingly unsustainable, there were times I didn’t want to be here anymore.”
Kanye – who has four children with ex-wife Kim Kardashian and is married to Bianca Censori – also apologised to the Black community and expressed a desire for “peace and understanding” as he tries to make positive changes.
He added: “I am pouring my energy into positive, meaningful art: music, clothing, design, and other new ideas to help the world.
I’m not asking for sympathy, or a free pass, though I aspire to earn your forgiveness.
“I write today simply to ask for your patience and understanding as I find my way home.”
