Pepsi withdraws sponsorship of festival after Kanye West set to headline

Pepsi was set to be the main sponsor of the three-day event, but the rapper's controversial remarks have generated a backlash.

By Kevin Killough

Published: April 5, 2026 4:13pm

The decision to have Kanye West headline a three-day R&B festival in London is generating a considerable backlash.

Earlier this week, organizers of the Wireless Festival announced that the rapper, known as Ye, would be headlining the event. British Prime Minister told The UK Sun that he was "deeply concerned" over the choice due to the rapper's anti-Semitic remarks.

Pepsi was to be the main sponsor of the event, but the BBC reported Sunday that the soft-drink maker was pulling its sponsorship.

West, 48, took out a full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal in January, apologizing for his remarks, attributing his behavior to bipolar disorder, the New York Times reported.