Kanye West put on a historic show in Istanbul, performing in front of more than 100,000 fans.
After a long wait, Ye brought his live show back to Europe for the first time since 2014, while also making his first-ever concert appearance in Turkey. According to Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency, an estimated 118,000 fans attended the concert.
The massive crowd included fans who traveled from surrounding countries such as Britain, Germany, France, Russia, and beyond to witness the performance.
The Chicago rapper treated attendees to a two-hour set packed with some classic records from his catalog. One of the night’s most viral moments came during a performance of “Runaway,” when a fan in the crowd to one knee and proposed to his girlfriend.
Following the show, Kanye spoke with PlaqueBoyMax about the experience and what it felt like to perform in front of a record-breaking audience.
“It’s just what we do, I just wake up, it still feels like a dream, you know what I’m saying?”
PBM also asked Kanye about the inspiration behind the earth-shaped stage used for the performance. According to Ye, the design symbolized his return to the top.
“Coming back, standing on top of the world after everything we’ve been through, just to come back on top of the world.”
The concert comes as Kanye continues to navigate public scrutiny from his past antisemitic remarks. In recent months, the rapper has made efforts to publicly address the controversy, including publishing an apology.
“I regret and am deeply mortified by my actions in that state and am committed to accountability, treatment, and meaningful change. It does not excuse what I did. I am not a Nazi or an antisemite. I love Jewish people.”
Regardless of the conversations surrounding him offstage, Kanye’s Istanbul performance proved his ability to draw massive crowds remains as strong as ever.
