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Ye's scheduled performances in Europe may be in limbo due to his antisemitic past, but he appears to be taking actions to make amends.
According to a report TMZ published Tuesday, April 21, the artist formerly known as Kanye West was spotted leaving the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Beverly Hills. He spent over an hour and a half inside the building, which is home to the Jewish human rights organization. Ye didn't comment on why he was at the center, but it's clear that he spent some time learning about the Holocaust at the Museum of Tolerance.
"The Museum of Tolerance exists to help visitors understand how the lessons of the Holocaust illuminate the consequences of unchecked antisemitism and hate," a rep for the museum said. "Through this understanding, we seek to cultivate empathy and equip individuals with the awareness and responsibility to promote more peaceful coexistence among people of all faiths, ethnicities, and cultures. Ultimately, it is up to each visitor to carry these lessons forward and choose to become a force for good."
Ye's visit to the Simon Wiesenthal Center was his latest attempt to show he's trying to live up to his apology to the Jewish community. The controversial artist said he regretted the offensive comments he made in a lengthy letter he shared in the New York Times. A few months later, Ye released his critically acclaimed album BULLY and planned to perform songs from the album at shows in Europe.
The Chicago native was scheduled to headline Wireless Fest for all three nights and hit the stage at other stadiums in France, Switzerland, and Poland. The U.K. decided to ban him from entering the country, which forced Wireless Fest to cancel its event. After French officials voiced opposition to his show in Marseilles, show organizers in Switzerland and Poland moved to cancel Ye's shows. Ye opted to postpone the show in France himself, but now he's facing another cancellation in Italy.
Ye was booked to headline the Hellwatt Festival in Reggio Emilia on July 18. In the wake of the backlash he faced in other European nations, Pina Picierno, who is vice president of the European Parliament and a senior member of Italy’s Democratic Party, recently called on the Italian government to shut down Ye's scheduled performance. According to Variety, the festival is standing by its decision to allow Ye to perform.
“The artist’s past comments have certainly provoked a legitimate reaction, but we also want to remember that Ye formally apologized through the Wall Street Journal in January, stating that he is not a Nazi or antisemite but suffers from bipolar disorder," Hellwatt Festival artistic director Victor Yari Milani said.
In addition to Italy, Ye is also set to perform in other countries like India, Turkey, the Netherlands, Spain, and Portugal. As of this report, the aforementioned shows are still on.