Florida Sen. Rick Scott pushes back against Ye's upcoming stadium concerts in Tampa

Florida Sen. Rick Scott is pushing back against two upcoming Ye — formerly known as Kanye West — stadium concerts set for Tampa later this month.

In a letter sent to the Tampa Sports Authority on Thursday, Scott demanded that taxpayer dollars not be used to support Ye's concerts at Raymond James Stadium on June 26 and 28.

"Kanye West's consistent antisemitic attacks are an affront to the values of the people of the Hillsborough community," Scott said in his letter. "He has openly praised Nazis, called himself one, and slandered Jews across the world."

Scott is referring to a series of antisemitic remarks made by Ye, including Ye stating "I like Hitler," on Alex Jones' "InfoWars" podcast. The remarks culminated in Ye's online clothing brand selling a shirt featuring a swastika in 2025.

"Kanye West also funded a Super Bowl ad in 2025 that directed viewers to purchase merchandise featuring swastikas," Scott's letter said. "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 our country."

Ye publicly apologized for his remarks in January 2026, taking out a full-page ad in The Wall Street Journal to publish a letter entitled "To Those I've Hurt." In the letter, Ye attributed his comments and outbursts to his bipolar disorder and brain damage sustained in a car accident.

The controversial rapper and producer has already been banned from performing in multiple countries in 2026, with his headlining performance at Wireless Festival in the UK being canceled, as well as a concert in France. In the United States, Ye performed to a sold-out crowd at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California, in April 2026.

Following the cancellations, Scott is pushing for Ye's Tampa shows to be reviewed.

"I urge you to carefully review this decision, given the fact that taxpayer dollars are helping the show go on," Scott's letter said. "I am confident that the Tampa Sports Authority will continue fostering a safe and inclusive community, especially for Jewish Floridians. No taxpayer dollars should be used to give a vocal antisemite a stage in Florida, and I am sure that you will take appropriate action to make sure that doesn’t happen."

According to the Tampa Bay Times, the Tampa Sports Authority issued a statement responding to Scott, stating:

"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."

The Tampa Bay Times contributed to this story.