Kanye West performed in Shanghai, China, on Friday, July 11, but the night quickly unraveled, sparking backlash from fans.
According to one fan on X (formerly Twitter), the trouble started when the 48-year-old music icon arrived 45 minutes late.
Once West took the stage, many concertgoers claimed he was lip-syncing through much of the performance. At several points, he seemed to stop performing altogether, with promoters blaming ongoing technical issues caused by the constant rain in Shanghai.
The “Gold Digger” rapper has largely stayed away from live performances in recent years, and the Shanghai show marked his return to China after 16 years. Although the July 12 concert sold out within minutes, some 70,000 fans were soon demanding refunds.
“I paid a lot for my ticket and he barely sang live,” one fan posted, adding, “it felt like I was watching a dress rehearsal.”
Yeezy’s team issued a statement that denied fans’ accusations about the performance, stating, “To ensure the quality of the performance, Ye arrived at the stadium before 3:00 P.M. on July 12 (with surveillance footage available as evidence). The concert was originally scheduled to begin at 7:30 P.M., but due to on‑site equipment issues, troubleshooting and adjustments continued until 8:00 P.M. and still failed to reach optimal condition. Out of respect for the audience’s passion and anticipation, Ye made the decision to go on stage and perform despite the imperfect setup. Therefore, claims of Ye being late are entirely untrue.”
West has remained seemingly unfazed by the backlash.
“Thank you to my fans in China and the Chinese government The energy was amazing Love all of you forever Can’t wait till the next show,” he wrote on X.
The Shanghai concert is the latest in a series of controversies involving the hip-hop star. Recently, West was accused of sexual assault by a former assistant and released an anti‑Semitic song titled ‘Heil Hitler.’ These incidents have led to multiple concert cancellations, prompted some festivals to withdraw, and sparked criticism from many public figures.
