Pepsi Drops Wireless Festival Over Kanye West Booking

Pepsi Pulls Wireless Festival Sponsorship Over Kanye West Headline Slot

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the booking of the artist formerly known as Ye, leading the beverage giant to cut ties with the London event.

Marcus J. Delany

Apr 5, 2026, 9:23 AM PT · 2 min read

Kanye West — Photo: Jason Persse / CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

THE RUNDOWN

Pepsi ended its sponsorship of Wireless Festival over Kanye West's headline slot.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the festival for booking the controversial rapper.
Critics cited West's history of antisemitic remarks as the reason for the boycott.
The Board of Deputies of British Jews also criticized the Live Nation-produced event.
Wireless Festival is scheduled to take place at London's Finsbury Park.

Pepsi has officially severed ties with London’s Wireless Festival. The decision follows a wave of backlash regarding the festival's choice to feature Kanye West, now legally known as Ye, as a headliner. The beverage giant withdrew its financial backing just hours after UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer joined the chorus of critics calling for a boycott of the event at Finsbury Park.

Prime Minister Starmer did not mince words when addressing the booking, citing West’s history of "vile antisemitic remarks" and "glorification of Nazism." Speaking to reporters, Starmer stated that providing a platform to the artist was "wrong" and urged organizers to reconsider. Organizations including the Board of Deputies of British Jews also voiced their disapproval, stating that the performance would be insensitive given the rapper's public track record.

The festival, which is produced by Live Nation, has not yet announced if they will replace the artist or if the event will proceed without a primary sponsor. Representatives for Pepsi confirmed the withdrawal in a brief statement, citing a commitment to values that they felt were inconsistent with the current lineup. This marks another significant loss for West, who has seen several high-profile partnerships dissolve since 2022.