Onyeka American music and fashion mogul Kanye West was supposed to perform at the upcoming Grammy Awards but his set has been canceled following his recent online posts, according to a source close to the rapper.
The Recording Academy is yet to confirm the news, but the organization had never confirmed a planned performance by Kanye, who is nominated in five categories for the 64th edition of the annual showpiece, which is set to take place on the 3rd of April.
Kanye’s representative told to E! News that a March 18 report from The Blast, which quoted sources close to Ye as saying that the 44-year-old rapper’s team received a phone call that evening, informing him he has been withdrawn from the lineup of performers for the Grammys.
According to the website, insiders say the show is “unfortunately” taking this position “due to what they deem to be concerning online behaviour.” The Blast also reported that Trevor Noah hosting the ceremony also influenced why the decision was reached, as there is concern over how the two may interact during the show.
Kanye was suspended from Instagram for 24 hours earlier this week after posting a racial slur targeted at Noah, a rep for the social network’s parent company Meta confirmed to CNN.
Ye had published his post after the comedian spoke on the series, The Daily Show about the rapper’s recent controversial posts about ex-wife Kim Kardashian and her new boyfriend Pete Davidson.
Ye’s offensive posts prompted a response from Trevor Noah, who said on The Daily Show, “What I see from the situation is a woman who wants to live her life without being harassed by an ex-boyfriend or an ex-husband or an ex-anything.”
Noah also expressed compassion for Kanye. “It breaks my heart to see you like this,” he commented, adding that he thinks the rap artist is “on a path that’s dangerously close to peril and pain.” Ye has not responded to Trevor’s remarks.
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