Kanye West fans erupted into an angry chant after the rapper was 45 minutes late to what was described as "the worst concert ever".
The controversial rapper, now known as Ye, was greeted by over 70,000 frustrated concert-goers in Shanghai on Saturday night, who were captured demanding a refund after a slew of technical issues and delays.
This was the 48-year-old's first gig this year, following a ban from Australia earlier this month after making a barrage of antisemitic remarks online and declaring himself a "Nazi".
In a fan-recorded clip posted to X, thousands of disgruntled fans can be heard demanding a refund outside the stadium.
One fan took to the site, saying: “So I’ve been a fan of Kanye West since I was a teen. MBDTF opened my ears to the sonics in music,” referencing West’s 2010 album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.
“Was hard to get tix for him in Shanghai but got it. Was hyped af. Couldn’t even sleep night before. But. Worst concert I’ve ever been to. @kanyewest u can be better.” (sic)
The user posted a slew of dissatisfied posts, including accusations that the rapper was lip-syncing and that he disappeared for over 20 minutes during the encore.
The frustrated fan added: "I could've listened to the music at home".
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|Kanye West fans took to social media to discuss the gig
During the Grammy winner's brief stint on stage, the DJ had to restart several songs due to technical issues, as well as reports of overall poor sound quality.
On Saturday night, event promoter StellarAmberGroup wrote on Chinese social media platform Sina Weibo that not all sound and visuals could be properly executed, blaming the heavy rainfall for the show’s disappointing production.
“However, for this long-awaited return after 17 years, Ye’s team insisted on prioritising artistic integrity," they said.
"After emergency adjustments, the show was delayed to ensure the best possible experience and to minimize the disappointment for the audience,” the statement said.
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|Fans early await Kanye's arrival at his previous gig in China in 2024
Despite outrage at the show's production, the rapper managed to sell out the venue's 70,000 seats, despite not performing in the city for 17 years.
West chose to perform his controversial song 'Heil Hitler' at the concert on Saturday night; however, it's reported he changed the lyrics from "Heil Hitler" to "Halleluiah".
The song caused uproar upon its release in May, prompting streaming sites such as Spotify and Soundcloud to pull the song and landing him a ban from Australia.
The track praises Nazi Leader Adolf Hitler and glorifies the WWII Nazi regime.
GETTY | Kanye West and wife Bianca Censori hit headlines for their controversial Grammys appearance earlier this year
The show came just days after the father of four was sued by Lauren Pisciotta for assault, battery, sex trafficking, and false imprisonment - all of which he denies.
According to documents obtained by The New York Post, West's former assistant claims the incidents occurred during a business trip to San Francisco.
Pisciotta was West's former personal assistant from 2021 to 2022, and alleges she turned down multiple unwanted advances from the singer during her tenure.
The 36-year-old also claims he kissed her on the mouth and was forcibly touching her during a writing session together.
Thank you to my fans in China and the Chinese government
— ye (@kanyewest) July 14, 2025
The energy was amazing
Love all of you forever
Can’t wait till the next show
Unhappy fans are yet to receive word as to whether they will pocket refunds, and are speculating his future shows may even be cut short.
The award-winning rapper didn't hit the stage until 8:15pm, despite the show starting at 7:30pm.
Some of his locally based fans claim China has strict rules, and time will not be added back for future shows.
Despite the controversy, West posted on X after the show saying: "Love all of you forever. Can't wait till the next show."