Photo Credit: Ryan Haft
Florida Senator Rick Scott sends a letter urging Raymond James Stadium in Tampa to reconsider platforming the antisemitic rapper now known as Ye.
On Thursday, Florida Senator Rick Scott sent a letter to the Tampa Sports Authority Board of Directors over Kanye West’s upcoming concert at Raymond James Stadium. The rapper was originally scheduled to perform in Tampa on June 26, but demand saw a second show added on June 29.
The Republican lawmaker’s letter argued that taxpayer dollars should not be spent platforming West, who now goes by Ye, given his extensive past antisemitic behavior. Sen. Scott cited West’s praise of Hitler, his self-identification as a Nazi, and the ad he took out during the 2025 Super Bowl that directed viewers to purchase t-shirts with swastikas on them.
“West’s remarks are vile and a slap in the face to our state’s Jewish community,” Scott wrote. “It is troubling that a stadium supported by taxpayer dollars would openly subsidize an event led by an artist known for pushing this dangerous, hateful rhetoric, especially with Florida having one of the largest Jewish populations in the country.”
“West has been condemned by political figures across the political aisle. His outbursts and hate have helped to mainstream antisemitism. He was recently barred from performing in the United Kingdom due to offensive antisemitic remarks,” Scott’s letter continued.
Days prior, Scott also addressed the scheduled shows on X, formerly Twitter, saying that the rapper “doesn’t deserve a stage to spread his hate anywhere, especially Florida.”
But the Tampa Sports Authority responded, making it clear that it has no intention of cancelling the shows:
“We recognize the concerns and viewpoints being expressed about the upcoming events at Raymond James Stadium. As a public agency, we follow the principles of free speech in operating our venue, although we do not condone remarks or actions from any artists that are offensive and divisive.”
Meanwhile, an Amsterdam judge this week allowed two upcoming shows by West to move forward in the Netherlands, despite an emergency lawsuit from the Central Jewish Council. The rapper was also permitted to play in Turkey last weekend.
Ye issued a full-page apology in The Wall Street Journal back in January, citing his bipolar disorder and other issues for his hateful rhetoric. But he’s still been prevented from performing shows he had scheduled in Italy, Poland, and the UK. Last year, he was also barred from entering Australia over his antisemitic behavior.
