Kanye West Rocked the Algarve: Did the Waters Calm Down at the Concert for 34,000 People?

It's fair to say that the Algarve Stadium was like the apocalypse last Friday night. Despite all the controversy and calls for cancellation, Kanye West, aka Ye, took the stage and performed a two-hour show for the 34,000 fans who packed the stadium. Frankly, things were pretty tense before I came here, but the scene on stage was much calmer than expected.

He Came on Stage Late, Didn't Make a Speech

The rapper, who took the stage about 45 minutes after the scheduled time, appeared on the giant rotating sphere installed in the middle of the stadium. The crowd, mostly young people, was thrilled with well-known songs such as "Stronger", "Gold Digger" and "American Boy". In fact, one of the surprises of the night was her appearance on stage with her daughter North West.

The artist, who is known for the controversies he has created all over the world in recent years and the provocative statements he has made, this time refrained from taking the microphone and saying anything political or provocative. An accident-free night focused on stage lights, fireworks and music is behind us.

A Concert in the Shadow of Great Debates

Actually, it was not easy for this tour to come this far. Ye's past antisemitic statements and statements praising Nazism caused harsh reactions before the concert. Even Israel's Ambassador to Portugal, Oren Rozenblat, got involved in the incident and asked for the concert to be canceled, describing it as "a shame for Portugal". Lawyers also raised their voices on the grounds of hate speech.

However, the organizers did not bow to these pressures. Raya Culture's CEO did not close the doors, arguing that this was a pure music event and should not be used for politics unless there was a threat to public order. In fact, Ye recently apologized in a full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal, attributing his crazy periods to a "manic episode"; But still, each concert continues to create a different tension.

After this stop in the Algarve, the tour continues unabated. Ye will perform in Almaty, Kazakhstan on August 14, and then hit the road to America.

Source: Euronews

Photo Source: Luís Forra / Lusa