Kanye ‘Ye’ West made a surprising return during Travis Scott‘s Circus Maximus tour in Rome, nearly 10 months after he had made anti-Semitic comments. Audiences and fans were left shocked as the controversial rapper took the stage on Monday night, and his surprise appearance led to some outlandish speculation.
Ye’s appearance occurred during the Utopia segment of the concert, where he performed “Praise God” and “Can’t Tell Me Nothing.” Scott acknowledged the rapper’s presence, urging the audience to cheer and claimed that this show wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for him.
“There is no ‘Utopia’ without Kanye West. There is no Travis Scott without Kanye West. There is no Rome without Kanye West. Make some noise for Ye.”
Some fans found it hard to believe that Ye had appeared on stage, leading a few to speculate that he could be a clone or a look-alike because people didn’t expect him to resurface on a big music stage. At the same time, some claimed that he looked a bit different.
Prior to joining Scott on stage, Ye’s last major tour had taken place in Feb. 2022, featuring his album Donda 2, and the controversial rapper was accompanied by artists such as Alicia Keys, Migos, and Marilyn Manson. While he was initially set to headline Rolling Loud 2022, the music festival announced his withdrawal due to “circumstances beyond its control,” replacing him with Kid Cudi.
Ye faced substantial backlash last year when he unveiled a ‘White Lives Matter’ hoodie during Paris Fashion Week, claiming it was funny. The controversy escalated when he made anti-Semitic remarks and expressed admiration for Hitler. Companies like Adidas and Balenciaga then severed ties with the artist, as did his lawyers and talent agency. Despite this, his music remains available for streaming on platforms such as Spotify, as the songs adhere to the platform’s terms of service.