Rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, is scheduled to perform at Raymond James Stadium on June 26 and 28, drawing an expected 75,000 fans each night. He’s also drawing some of Florida’s most prominent political figures, who gathered Monday at the Florida Holocaust Museum in St. Petersburg to demand that Tampa Sports Authority cancel both concerts.
Republican Sens. Rick Scott and Ashley Moody, civil rights attorney Leo Terrell and Democrat Charlie Crist stood together behind a podium reading “Don’t. Fund. Antisemitism.”
Crist made clear the moment transcended party lines. “This is not political. This is not about right versus left, it’s right versus wrong,” he said.
Scott argued taxpayers deserve a say in what happens at Raymond James Stadium, a publicly funded venue owned by Hillsborough County and operated by the Tampa Sports Authority, which receives funding from both the county and the city.
“We condemn antisemitism from any source,” the Tampa Sports Authority said in a statement. “However, we also respect free speech rights guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution, even when we disagree with that speech.” The authority added that no taxpayer money is being used to stage the concerts.
The pressure follows years of antisemitic behavior by West and a pattern of apologies that critics say haven’t held. He sold swastika T-shirts during the 2025 Super Bowl, released a song titled “Heil Hitler” in May 2025, and declared himself “a Nazi” on social media. The UK denied him a visa earlier this year, forcing the cancellation of Wireless Festival in London, where he was set to headline.
Who is Kanye West? Why does he call himself ‘Ye’?
West, 48, has 24 Grammy Awards and a rapping career spanning more than two decades. He legally changed his name to Ye in 2021, though he’d been using the nickname since at least 2012.
West first explained the name’s significance in 2018, saying he believed “Ye” is the most commonly used word in the Bible, and that in the Bible, it means “you.” “So I’m you, I’m us, it’s us,” he said. “It went from Kanye, which means the only one, to just Ye – just being a reflection of our good, our bad, our confused, everything.”
He was once among the most influential figures in music and fashion, with his Yeezy brand partnering with Adidas before the company cut ties in 2022 following his antisemitic remarks.
Kanye West explained his Nazi comments
Then, in January 2026, West took out a nearly 750-word full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal titled “To Those I’ve Hurt.” He described falling into a four-month manic episode in early 2025 and attributed his behavior to a bipolar type-1 diagnosis. “I am not a Nazi or an antisemite. I love Jewish people,” he wrote. Some questioned the timing, noting it came just four days before the release of his album *Bully*. West denied the letter was a PR move. It was his third public apology for antisemitic remarks since 2023.
Florida Holocaust Museum offers free admission
Those gathered said the letter wasn’t enough. Scott, who first sent a letter to the Tampa Sports Authority on June 4, said the stadium’s decision sends a dangerous message.
“If they allow this, then what’s the next event?” Scott said. “If you’re Jewish in this city, in this state, how do you feel? You feel like a second-class citizen.”
In response to the concerts, the Florida Holocaust Museum announced free admission from June 26 through 28.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Senators demand Tampa cancel Kanye West concerts, but show will go on
Reporting by Emmy Bailey, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Sarasota Herald-Tribune
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By Emmy Bailey, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida | USA TODAY Network
