We understand that you may feel inundated with Kanye West news this week, and it’s because we will (maybe) finally receive Donda. West’s team is once again preparing for what is expected to be a show-stopping listening event, this time in the rapper’s hometown for Chicago. West is hailed as an icon in the Windy City and beyond, so returning home to reveal the final cut of this anticipated album that is named after his late mother is monumental in itself.
There has been news about his alleged relationship with model Irina Shayk coming to an end after only a few months, the rapper wanting to legally change his name to “Ye,” and, of course, his ongoing frienemy beef with Drake unraveling. With the listening event just days away, the New York Post reports that the West has set off another controversy because he won’t require negative COVID-19 tests or vaccines for entry.
The COVID-19 vaccine debate rages forward as people argue about its safety. The Delta variant has been affecting the vaccinated and unvaccinated, and the United States is experiencing the second major wave of COVID cases overwhelming hospitals from coast to coast. For West’s Soldier Field performance, Chicago Park District spokeswoman Michele Lemons said that the venue would only admit 38,000 people instead of its normal 63,000 capacity.
“Kanye West’s performance is one of many examples that show that Chicago can be open and safe at the same time,” Lemons said, according to the Chicago Tribune. “We have worked with Soldier Field on COVID-19 safety protocols, as we have other venues including Wrigley and Guaranteed Rate Fields, and feel this event can be safely held with the proper mitigation efforts in place.”
The public began labeling the event as a “super spreader” and has taken to social media to criticize West, especially after his other events reportedly had vaccinations on site. Check out a few reactions below.
[via]