Concerts by Ye and Travis Scott set to take place in Italy in July were canceled because of security worries and concerns raised by local Jewish leaders, the Italian authorities said on Friday.
The move followed decisions by Britain and Australia to block Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, from entering the countries over his history of antisemitic comments. It also came about five years after a deadly crowd crush at a concert in Houston by Mr. Scott, who is also an American rapper.
The two artists were set to perform at a music festival in the northern city of Reggio Emilia, in a venue with room for about 103,000 spectators. Mr. Scott was expected to perform on July 17, and Ye the next day.
The decision to cancel the concerts came after a meeting of Italian officials on Monday and “was made to ensure public order and safety,” the prefecture for the province of Reggio Emilia said in a statement. Italian officials took into consideration the recent cancellations of Ye’s concerts in other countries and “the real risk of counterdemonstrations,” the statement said.
The local Jewish community and an Italian consumer rights organization had both raised concerns about Ye’s concert, the prefecture said.
The consumer rights organization wrote in a formal notice sent to Italian authorities last month that Ye was “at the center of a widespread and growing international controversy, fueled by his public statements and conduct, which have already been the subject of strong institutional backlash,” according to a statement on Saturday by the group.
“His participation could generate tension, protests and potential public disorder,” the group added.
There was no immediate comment from Ye or Mr. Scott on the cancellations. The date for Ye’s concert in Italy had not been removed from his tour website as of Saturday.
Jewish communities across Europe are reeling from recent attacks against Jews and Jewish sites that have been claimed by a shadowy Islamist group.
Mr. Scott and Ye performed together in 2023 when Ye returned to the stage after an earlier series of antisemitic remarks.
Mr. Scott is best known outside the music world for a concert at the 2021 Astroworld festival in Houston, where 10 people died in a fatal crowd crush. He kept performing as young audience members suffocated.
Ye, who has a long history of antisemitic comments and erratic behavior, released a song called “Heil Hitler” last year, prompting Australia to block him from entering the country.
He released his 12th solo album this spring, but has struggled to promote it and stage a comeback tour.
Britain barred him from entering the country to play a series of concerts because of his history of antisemitism. One of his concerts was canceled in Poland, and he said he would postpone “until further notice” a concert planned for June in southern France after the French interior ministry said it was considering banning the event.
Alex Marshall contributed reporting.
