Kanye West, the controversial rapper and producer, has faced significant backlash and rejection in numerous venues around the globe due to his recent flirtations with extremist ideologies, including Nazism. His provocative behavior has led to a tarnished reputation, which has resulted in many locations refusing to host him. In 2022, West publicly lamented being blackballed by various venues in the United States, and it appears that his issues have extended beyond American borders. A recent incident in Slovakia underscores his declining acceptance, as a music festival canceled his scheduled performance after an overwhelming number of attendees signed a petition demanding his removal.

Since the beginning of 2023, West has struggled to secure performance opportunities outside of a couple of countries, with South Korea and China being his only stages for live events. This past Saturday marked West’s return to China, where he was slated to deliver his first full-length concert in nearly a year. However, attendees at the Shanghai Stadium, which has a capacity of 70,000, found themselves bewildered and frustrated by the artist's erratic behavior during the performance.

According to reports from local media, West took to the stage over 40 minutes late, a significant delay that likely irked attendees. In Chinese culture, punctuality is viewed as a sign of respect, and such tardiness can be perceived as highly disrespectful. The stage design was notably simplistic, featuring minimal production and lighting, leaving West to perform solo in the center of a large oval. Adding to the challenges of the night, inclement weather conditions led to rain, which adversely affected the sound quality at the outdoor venue.

As the concert progressed, technical issues arose with the DJ, prompting West to skip and restart several of his songs. His behavior became increasingly erratic, as he frequently walked on and off the stage. At one point, he even disappeared entirely, leaving only the backing track audible to the audience. Despite the tumultuous performance, there was a slight silver lining, as West did appear to self-censor some of his more controversial lyrics that had previously drawn criticism.

Many fans, who had paid exorbitant prices for tickets—some reportedly over $400 USD—grew increasingly frustrated with the concert’s disorganization and West's behavior. Their dissatisfaction boiled over into chants for refunds, expressing their disappointment loudly. The show quickly became a trending topic on Chinese social media, with one user remarking that they had “never seen such a poorly organized concert.” It is clear that Shanghai concertgoers are not easily appeased, as they made their displeasure vocally known.

The night concluded with an air of discontent, encapsulating the difficulties West faces as he attempts to stage a comeback in the music industry amidst significant public scrutiny.