Nationwide — Kanye West is set to perform two sold-out concerts in Russia despite being barred from entering the UK and losing several shows across Europe. The rapper continues to tour internationally after years of backlash over antisemitic comments and Nazi-related controversies.
The 49-year-old rapper will perform at St. Petersburg’s Gazprom Arena on Oct. 10 and 11. According to the Daily Mail, tickets sold out Monday, with prices ranging from about $105 to more than $1,850.
The Russia concerts come months after West published a full-page advertisement in the Wall Street Journal apologizing for promoting Nazi imagery and making statements targeting Jewish people. He also rejected his past praise of Hitler and attributed some of his behavior to a brain injury he said went unnoticed after a 2002 car accident.
The apology did not prevent several European performances from being canceled. A planned June concert in Poland was called off for “formal and legal reasons,” while his show in Marseille, France, was canceled after government officials opposed his appearance. The UK Home Office also barred him from entering the country for London’s Wireless Festival.
West has continued performing in other countries, including the United States, Mexico, Turkey, Georgia and Kazakhstan. His May concert in Istanbul reportedly drew 118,000 people, while his recent sold-out show in Almaty attracted about 30,000 fans.
His upcoming Russia concerts have also faced criticism. Russian politician Nikolay Novichkov has called for an investigation into West’s previous comments praising Hitler and reportedly said the shows should be canceled unless the rapper publicly expresses support for Russia and its military operation.