Pepsi Cancels Sponsorship of Ye-Headlined Wireless Festival

The UK event has also lost the backing of drinks giant Diageo

Last week, organizers of London’s Wireless Festival announced that Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, is headlining each of the event’s three-days. On Sunday, Pepsi issued a statement that it was ending its 10-year sponsorship of the festival, which is scheduled to take place in Finsbury Park on 10-12 July. Though the company’s statement made no mention of Ye, it comes off the back of widespread disapproval of the rapper’s booking.

Condemnation:

On Sunday, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned Ye’s presence on the bill, referencing the rapper’s “previous antisemitic remarks and celebration of Nazism” in a statement to British newspaper the Sun.
His criticism follows similar condemnation from Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey, London mayor Sadiq Khan, and the Jewish Leadership Council.
In 2025 Ye released a song called “Heil Hitler,” and sold T-shirts featuring a swastika on his website.
He has since apologized, taking out a full page ad in the Wall Street Journal in which he attributed his actions to a brain injury and untreated bipolar disorder.

Withdrawal:

On Sunday, shortly after Starmer’s comments, Pepsi announced it was withdrawing its co-branding with Wireless, which since 2015 had been known as “Pepsi MAX Presents Wireless.”
Variety reports that while many music fans had welcomed Ye’s return to the stage, Pepsi had also been “widely tagged in outraged tweets protesting the company’s apparent support for him as sole headliner.”
Diageo, owner of the Johnnie Walker and Captain Morgan alcohol brands, also withdrew on Sunday.
At the time of publication, Pepsi is still listed on Wireless’ website as a presenting partner.
Tickets are due to go on sale on Tuesday.
No other artists have been announced.