Kanye West, the 48-year-old rapper, is collaborating with Israeli music executive Guy Beser of Blue Stone Productions on a sold-out concert at Tbilisi, Georgia's Dinamo Arena, which has reportedly moved 70,000 tickets. According to Rolling Stone, the show was initially believed to be produced by Live Nation Israel, but representatives for the parent company have refuted that claim.
Live Nation Clarifies Role
A spokesperson for Live Nation told the Daily Mail: 'Live Nation is not producing the Ye show in Georgia; the show is being produced by Blue Stone Productions.' A source close to Live Nation added that Blue Stone Productions is an independent company with which Live Nation maintains a working relationship. The parent company has no involvement in the summer concert headlined by the Grammy-winning artist. The insider elaborated: 'Blue Stone Productions and Guy Beser do partner with Live Nation; however, Blue Stone Productions is independently producing this show without the support of Live Nation.'
Controversy and Criticism
An Israeli music industry professional expressed disgust to Rolling Stone regarding Beser's willingness to work with West, given the rapper's extensive history of antisemitic remarks. 'Everything Kanye has said and done against the Jewish community is unforgettable, and for many people, deeply hurtful,' the source said. 'At the same time, it raises difficult questions about where the industry draws the line between business, entertainment, and accountability.'
Governmental Campaign Ties
The concert is linked to a governmental campaign called Starring Georgia, which aims to bring top contemporary artists who have never performed in the country before. Insiders previously told Rolling Stone that Live Nation Israel had effectively rebranded as Live Nation Central Asia, covering Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia. However, a source close to Live Nation clarified: 'Live Nation Israel has not been rebranded to Live Nation Central Asia. Live Nation Central Asia is an internal designation encompassing Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, and other emerging concert markets identified as growth opportunities. While this show is taking place in one of those markets, it is not being promoted or produced by Live Nation.'
Recent Developments
News of the sold-out show comes about a month after London's Wireless Festival canceled its 2025 festivities following West's visa revocation. London Mayor Sadiq Khan's office stated: 'We are clear that the past comments and actions of this artist are offensive and wrong, and not reflective of London’s values.'
West appears to have taken steps to rehabilitate his image within the Jewish community. In January 2025, he apologized for his past praise of Adolf Hitler and other antisemitic comments in a Wall Street Journal piece titled 'Those I Hurt,' admitting he 'lost touch with reality' and attributing some lapses to a 2002 car accident. 'I said and did things I deeply regret. It does not excuse what I did though. I am not a Nazi or an antisemite. I love Jewish people,' he wrote.
In November 2025, West told celebrity Rabbi Yoshiyahu Yosef Pinto that he was prepared to accept accountability for his past antisemitism, citing bipolar disorder as a factor. 'I was dealing with some various issues of bipolar. So it would take the ideas I had and have me take them to an extreme where I would forget about the protection of the people around me or and myself,' he said.
Continued Controversy
Despite these efforts, West remained in the crosshairs of controversy in 2025 when Shopify removed his Yeezy website after he sold a white shirt with a black swastika, labeled as 'HH-01' (code for 'Heil Hitler'). The Anti-Defamation League condemned the act, stating: 'As if we needed further proof of Kanye's antisemitism, he chose to put a single item for sale on his website – a t-shirt emblazoned with a swastika.' The ADL added that West advertised the site during the Super Bowl, amplifying his message beyond his social media audience.
