US rapper Kanye West visits Moscow — Russian media

FILE: Kanye West onstage during the 2022 BET Awards at Microsoft Theater on June 26, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. Paras Griffin/Getty Images for BET/AFP (Photo by Paras Griffin / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

MOSCOW, Russia — US rapper Kanye West was in Moscow, Russian media reported on Sunday quoting a well-known Russian producer.

Western artists have mostly not performed in Russia during its Ukraine offensive, which led to massive US and European sanctions on Moscow, as well as travel restrictions to the country.

West, who has stirred controversy with his political statements in the United States and was recently accused of praising Adolf Hitler, has expressed admiration for President Vladimir Putin in the past.

“Kanye West is already in Moscow! This is great news, he is staying in the heart of the capital,” the state TASS news agency quoted producer Yana Rudkovskaya as saying on social media.

“Fingers crossed for a show at Luzhniki in the future! My bet is if it happens, it’ll be an 80,000 sellout in 3 days. Well, okay… a week at most! He’s mega cool, of course! What more can be said!” she further said.

Her announcement followed rumors last month that West will perform a concert in Moscow.

But Luzhniki Stadium, where he was rumored to perform, told state media it does not have information on possible concerts by the famous rapper.