LOS ANGELES (AP) 鈥� The artist formerly and possibly again known as reveled in support from one of his musical idols, , as he staged a sold-out Southern California concert meant to mark a comeback from years of controversy.
Eleven months after releasing and just over two months after publishing an apology letter for his antisemitism, Ye let two decades of hits 鈥� and 70,000 screaming loyal fans 鈥� speak the loudest on Friday night at SoFi Stadium.
“I want to thank y鈥檃ll for sticking by me all these years. Through the hard times, through the low times,” he told the crowd. 鈥淚 love you for that.鈥�
Hill joined Ye on a stage for the first time ever for an energetic rendition of his 2004 hit 鈥淎ll Falls Down,鈥� which originally sampled her voice. Ye left the stage as she performed 鈥淟ost Ones鈥� and 鈥淒oo Wop (That Thing)鈥� before rejoining for his 2021 鈥淒oo Wop鈥�-sampling song 鈥淏elieve What I Say.鈥� They hugged as she exited.
Travis Scott, CeeLo Green and Ye’s tween daughter North West also strapped on safety harnesses to join Ye high above the stadium floor atop a striking half-orb stage, which alternately depicted a moon, a rotating Earth and a smoking sphere throughout the two hours-plus livestreamed performance.
A loud singalong of 鈥淗eartless鈥� midway through the more than 40-song Good Friday show seemed to boost Ye鈥檚 spirits: 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what 80,000 people sound like, ladies and gentlemen. 鈥� They said I鈥檇 never be back in the States. Two sold-out concerts, baby!鈥�
The first SoFi show Wednesday, his first major U.S. performance in nearly five years, turned out to be more of a warm-up as Ye was tentative in his rapping and drew attention to technical mishaps.
Fans at that show said they separated the 48-year-old performer鈥檚 personal beliefs and public statements from his music 鈥� and were ready to forgive after his January apology letter.
鈥淵ou gotta back your family no matter what,鈥� said Vince Da Prince, a rapper from Downey, Calif. 鈥淗e鈥檚 a part of our fam since we were little kids.鈥�
Added fan Yovani Contreras: 鈥淚 don鈥檛 really bring into politics or the way someone鈥檚 personal opinion are. I鈥檓 into the music artistry 鈥� Like, I just, to me, Ye is always gonna be Ye. Kanye is always gonna be Kanye.鈥�
Luis Velasquez said he鈥檇 been a longtime fan and had been put off by controversies in recent years, but felt the apology was sincere.
鈥淵eah he did apologize,鈥� he said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 taking the medication I think is what he mentioned. 鈥� For me as a fan that鈥檚, like, respect, right? Like I think that鈥檚 cool enough to bridge that gap.鈥�
Ye released his latest album, 鈥淏ully,鈥� under both the names Ye and Kanye West, at the end of March. He dominated hip-hop and pop charts in the 2000s and early 2010s, winning 24 Grammy Awards despite public outbursts and a polarizing personality. He lost nearly all his major business partnerships and many fans after a string of controversies in the last several years including antisemitic remarks and social media posts.
He closed Friday night’s show with his 鈥渢oast to the douchebags” hit 鈥淩unaway,鈥� and walked out of the stadium behind his wife Bianca Censori and two of his children.
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