Thousands of fans at Shanghai Stadium condemned the rapper Kyne West late start, technical glitches, and odd performance as the “worst concert ever.”

A Long-Awaited Return That Fell Flat

July 14, 2025: Kanye West—now performing under the name Ye—made his first live appearance in nearly a year at Shanghai Stadium on July 12, to a sold-out crowd of approximately 70,000. But rather than a triumphant return, the performance quickly spiraled into disappointment as fans began chanting for refunds.

Ye reportedly took the stage over 40 minutes late. When he finally appeared, there was minimal staging—no lighting, no backup performers, and reduced visual effects—while heavy rain reportedly compromised sound quality.

Technical Failures, Disappearance, and Empty Stage

Once Ye began performing, technical issues persisted. His DJ had to frequently restart songs due to glitches, and Ye walked on and off stage multiple times. Eventually, he vanished during the encore for more than 20 minutes, leaving only backing tracks playing as the crowd waited.

Some attendees accused him of lip-syncing, while others said the microphone appeared to be turned on less than 20% of the time. Fans described the experience as feeling more like a playback than a live performance.

Fan Reactions: “Worst Concert Ever”

One devoted fan lamented:

“So I’ve been a fan since my teens… Was hyped af. But. Worst concert I’ve ever been to. @kanyewest u can be better.”

Social media buzzed with disappointment: many called it the most poorly organized show they’d ever attended, especially given that tickets ranged up to ¥2,680 (about $374 USD). In a culture where punctuality is highly valued, Ye’s delay felt particularly disrespectful.

Ye Responds With Short Thank You

In response to the backlash, Kanye posted a brief message on his official X (formerly Twitter) account:

“Thank you to my fans in China and the Chinese government. The energy was amazing. Love all of you forever. Can’t wait till the next show.”

Many fans flooded the responses with criticism, pointing to his lateness, alleged auto-tune performance, and unexpected disappearance mid-show.

Broader Context and Fallout

This concert controversy comes amid broader scrutiny surrounding Kanye’s ability to book performances. His South Korean show scheduled for late May was canceled due to public backlash over controversial statements and imagery, with full refunds issued by promoters.

This incident may further damage live performance opportunities for Ye, already limited in venues across Asia, Australia, and parts of Europe. Despite his global fame, the combination of controversy and disappointing concerts is reshaping his reputation onstage.

Final Take

What should have been a triumphant return turned into a spectacle marred by delays, technical failures, and a visibly distressed audience. The chorus of “refund” chants wasn’t just about performance quality—it reflected fans’ sense of betrayal and time wasted. For many, this was not just the worst Kanye concert—they may never buy tickets again.