Fans blast Kanye West for “barely performing” at Rolling Loud 2024

nme.com:

Kanye West has faced backlash from fans after he “barely” performed during his set at Rolling Loud 2024.The controversial rapper – who also goes by Ye – took to the stage with Ty Dolla $ign on Thursday (March 14) as the headliners for the opening night for 2024’s Rolling Loud Festival in Los Angeles.However, while the show was expected to be his first full-scale festival performance since the series of antisemitic remarks he made at the end of 2022, instead the rappers merely stood on stage for an hour while pre-recorded music of theirs played over the loudspeakers.The pair were clad in dark hooded outfits, with West wearing his often-seen hockey mask, and paced around the stage for an hour while their ‘Vultures 1’ album played.

Afterwards, a DJ played hits from West’s earlier discography while the stage filled with dry ice.While the wording in the official announcement was vague – simply reading as “Vultures headlining new Thursday night” – there was a general understanding among fans that the set was going to feature live vocals.According to sources speaking to Variety, the festival organisers themselves thought the headline slot would be a more conventional performance too, and even erected a special stage with a circular lighting rig specifically for the set.They also clarified to a fan on X/Twitter that the set would see West and Dolla $ign “Perform”, before later adding: “Oops idk bro it’s on him” (via Mirror).Unsurprisingly, the Thursday show divided the opinions of those in attendance, with many taking to social media to criticise the rappers for the set.“I was there and didn’t even know ye came out,” one fan wrote on X, while another added: “I’m really disappointed in ye, he shoulda demanded a mic.