Ye performs first US show in years: What critics and fans are saying
Ye performs first US show in years: What critics and fans are saying
Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY Fri, April 3, 2026 at 6:54 PM UTC
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When Ye returned to Los Angeles for his first full live show in the United States since 2021, it was as if time hadn't passed.
The hip-hop mogul, formerly known as Kanye West, hit the stage at SoFi Stadium on Wednesday, April 1, for his first of two shows following recent performances in Mexico City and China, and his first apology in years for the antisemitic messages he spewed. The rapper previously shared rhetoric widely deemed as antisemitic on social media, used a 2025 Super Bowl ad to redirect viewers to a website selling a $20 swastika T-shirt, and dropped a song praising Adolf Hitler.
In a lengthy advertisement from The Wall Street Journal's Jan. 26 issue addressed to "those I've hurt," Ye stated he was not an "antisemite" and detailed a rocky mental health history, which included his bipolar disorder diagnosis, that he said fueled his behavior.
"My words as a leader in my community have global impact and influence. In my mania, I lost complete sight of that," he wrote.
Here's what the artist said at his first show back, and how critics and fans at the show responded.
1 / 0See Kanye West, Ye, the polarizing rapper, fashion mogul
Born Kanye Omari West, Ye transformed himself from a college dropout in Chicago to an undisputable icon of music and fashion. But a string of controversies has the rapper facing a fallout. In October 2022, several companies, including Adidas and Balenciaga fashion house, cut ties with the star after he made antisemitic remarks.Look back on Ye's life and career, from his marriage and divorce from Kim Kardashian to his polarizing political statements. Here, Ye and Bianca Censori attend the 67th Grammy Awards on Feb. 2, 2025, in Los Angeles.
What did Ye say at his concert?
At Wednesday's show, Ye did not address any controversies; instead, he focused on performing 32 tracks, including many from his new studio album "Bully," which dropped on March 28. The show also featured guest performances from rapper Don Toliver, who played the "Donda" track "Moon," and Ye's 12-year-old daughter North West, whom he shares with Kim Kardashian.
Ye's only commentary at the show, according to The New York Times, was berating stage technicians over the pace of the lighting.
"Is this an 'SNL' skit or something?" Ye said on stage as the crowd laughed, the Times reported. "Stop doing the vibrating, Vegas lights, bro. We went over this in rehearsal."
Ye, formerly Kanye West, arrives for the 67th Annual Grammy Awards at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Feb. 2, 2025.What did critics say about Ye's concert?
The Los Angeles Times' music critic Mikael Wood said the show had a tense, unsettling environment as Ye reportedly scolded people on stage, including collaborators and dancers, in what Wood described as a "bully's arena."
"The show felt less like a concert and more like watching a superstar bully everyone in his orbit," Wood's review reads.
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The Hollywood Reporter's Ethan Millman called Ye's live vocals "muddy at times as well," emphasizing the difficulty in distinguishing his actual voice from his recorded vocals and backing tracks.
Variety's Steven J. Horowitz also highlighted the backing vocals being louder than his and stated that the stage fog blocked the crowd's ability to see him.
"But that was of little concern to those who seemed to forget about the very heavy baggage accompanying the performance. It was an evening to remember the greatness of Ye as he once was, and perhaps still is: imaginative, boundlessly creative and transformative," his review reads.
What did concertgoers say?
Based on several reviews of the show, the audience seemed thrilled to see Ye return to the United States, with some saying that his new "Bully" album brought them back to the "old Kanye" era, according to Millman with The Hollywood Reporter.
Ahead of the show, fans seemed willing to separate Ye's past actions from his music and ability to put on a good show.
"We know his medical history and why he has his rants, he talks about being bipolar," 32-year-old Chris Gutierrez told the Hollywood Reporter. "We’re coming here more to appreciate the music."
Gutierrez said he understands why many former fans stopped listening to him after his recent controversies.
"It's hard, I get it. I come from a psych background," Gutierrez told the Hollywood Reporter. "I don’t know if he was lucid enough or he wasn't. But we're here more for the music."
Julian Caratachea, 20, also emphasized separating the process of separating art from the artist to the New York Times.
"His music never did nothing to us," Caratachea told the Times, expressing excitement for Ye to do more live events. "As long as you're here for the music and you're not here just on your opinion of something, then that's all that matters. That's what’s going to bring us together — the music."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ye returns to US stage after his apology. What did critics, fans think
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
