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Kanye West Draws 118,000 in Istanbul, Issues Hitler Renunciation Ad

5/31/2026

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Summary

Kanye West Concert

Rapper Kanye West performed for 118,000 fans at Istanbul’s Atatürk Olympic Stadium, his first European show since 2014.
Fans from the United Kingdom, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Russia, Poland and the Middle East attended.
Cancellations in the United Kingdom, France and Poland followed officials denying West entry, prompting him to place a Wall Street Journal ad renouncing Adolf Hitler and citing a brain injury and bipolar disorder.

Summary

Festival Overloads Metro

At 3 p.m. on May 30, Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul opened to about 118,000 fans, crowding metro stations.
The all-night festival featured DJ sets, laser lights, pre- and after-party events, and performances by Turkish artists Yener Cevik, Mavi, Sena Sener, Pera and Motive, beginning at 9 p.m. and lasting into early morning.
Transit officials said the influx filled platforms and corridors to capacity, straining Istanbul’s metro system.

History

Historical Context

In July 1999, MTV staged Woodstock ’99 on the former Griffiss Air Force Base in Rome, New York, drawing about 220,000 fans and earning roughly $28 million in ticket sales. The riots, assaults and three deaths led to stricter crowd-control rules for festivals. When a 2024 concert at Istanbul’s Atatürk Olympic Stadium attracted 118,000 spectators, officials applied those safeguards to manage security and transport.

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Kanye West Concert

Rapper Kanye West performed for 118,000 fans at Istanbul’s Atatürk Olympic Stadium, his first European show since 2014.
Fans from the United Kingdom, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Russia, Poland and the Middle East attended.
Cancellations in the United Kingdom, France and Poland followed officials denying West entry, prompting him to place a Wall Street Journal ad renouncing Adolf Hitler and citing a brain injury and bipolar disorder.

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