Albania’s Prime Minister Doubles Down on $4.5M Kanye Concert

Photo Credit: Tirana, Albania, by Daniel Silva

Albania’s prime minister defended a decision to inject over $4 million to ensure a Kanye concert would take place in the country.

On Wednesday, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama defended the decision to financially support a concert by the disgraced rapper formerly known as Kanye West. Rama attempted to defuse public anger over the event by arguing that a $4.5 million (€4 million) investment in the concert was good for the country’s image.

“We allocated €4 million at the last minute to avoid embarrassing Albania in the eyes of nearly 25,000 foreign visitors from 80 countries who had already purchased tickets to see Kanye West, while many others were wary that the concert might be cancelled,” Rama argued.

Rama said the event was expected to generate at least €100 million in revenue for the local economy after a surge in accommodation bookings that aligned with the timing of the show.

The concert is scheduled for July 11, just outside Tirana. It will take place in a makeshift stadium constructed specifically for the event.

“Albania is disgraced when it welcomes a singer who admires Hitler,” wrote one commenter on Facebook. “Shame! Not with my money!” declared another.

Kanye, who now goes by Ye, has been banned from performing in several European countries over the past several months following his hateful remarks, which have included praise of Adolf Hitler, declaring himself a Nazi, and selling merch featuring Nazi imagery. The rapper has since apologized for this behavior, but many saw the move as an effort to smooth things over ahead of his planned tour.

For Rama, the public anger over the event has fanned the flames amid public protests and demands for his resignation. Protesters have denounced planned development projects across the country, sparked by plans for a luxury resort by Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

Other development projects near protected areas have also been met with backlash from protesters, who have demanded Rama’s resignation and accused his government of corruption.