What will Kanye West do in Moscow?

The American rapper has already expressed his admiration for Vladimir Putin in the past.

According to Russian media, Kanye West has visited Moscow. The American rapper has already shown his admiration for dictator Putin in the past.

Christoph Cologne / t-online

Brands have ended their collaboration

For Putin’s propaganda, the American star’s visit should be as important as former basketball superstar Dennis Rodman’s many trips to North Korea to promote the country’s regime on the international stage. While dictator Kim Jong Un has always celebrated these visits as state affairs, there has been no talk of West receiving Putin. However, rumors had already circulated in 2022 that the rapper might pay tribute to the autocrat in the Kremlin. But that has not happened yet.

About 100 people gathered outside the Moskva Hotel in central Moscow to try to catch a glimpse of West, including 18-year-old Alexander, who calls the rapper a “legend.”

“Everyone is waiting for Kanye West, and everyone is hoping to get selfies or autographs.”

Alexander, 18 ans

In the United States, West, who has officially changed his name to Ye, has increasingly become an outsider in show business due to his anti-Semitic statements and tendency to glorify Hitler in recent years.

German sporting goods manufacturer Adidas and fashion companies like Gap and Balenciaga have ended their collaboration with the rapper due to his controversial views.

The business meal of Trump and West

Since the beginning of the Russian war against Ukraine, there have been almost no performances by Western artists in Russia. The information about West’s visit to Russia is now fueling rumors of a concert by the American rapper in Moscow. The Luzhniki stadium, which is circulating as the alleged venue for the performance, however, told state media that it had no information about it.

West reportedly had big plans to invest in the Russian market before the war broke out. There was reportedly talk of a meeting with Aras Aglarov, one of Russia’s richest men. The billionaire real estate tycoon has excellent relations with Putin and has already spoken out in favor of the tyrant’s life presidency. Aglarov’s son, Emin, is one of the country’s most famous musicians.

Such a friendship would be convenient for West: In Aglarov, he has a friend who also maintains intense contact with Donald Trump – like West himself. The rapper is one of Trump’s admirers, has already appeared several times wearing a Maga (“Make America Great Again”) cap and has also met the ex-president in his Trump Tower for a business meal.

“Ye is simply uncontrollable»

Trump and Russian-Azerbaijani businessman Aglarov exchanged views at the Miss Universe beauty pageant in Las Vegas. A lawyer specializing in circumventing US sanctions against Russian businessmen also reportedly took part in the meeting, the portal reported. The Insider.

There is no evidence so far that West is acting as an intermediary between the Trump camp and the Putin regime. The trip to Moscow, however, gives rise to speculation. What is clear is that West’s visit also valorizes the Putin regime internationally. A precedent, and an example that could be followed by other Western artists. But as a confidant once told the music magazine Rolling Stone: “Ye is Ye, he is simply uncontrollable.”