STORY: Fans of U.S. rapper Kanye West, who has been banned from performing in several European countries, were queuing up in Albania's Kashar, outside Tirana, on Saturday (July 11) to buy merchandise ahead of his performance in a makeshift stadium constructed specifically for the event.

The rapper, who is also known as Ye, was cancelled in other countries this summer following remarks that have included praise of Adolf Hitler and content featuring Nazi ⁠imagery.

The Albanian government spent four million euros ($4.56 million) on the concert whilst Prime Minister Edi Rama sought to defuse anger over the ‌event that has added heat to public protests and demands for his resignation. He said he wanted to avoid the embarrassment of a cancellation as nearly 25,000 people were expected to come to Albania to listen to Ye.

Rama said the concert would generate at least 100 million euros after a surge in accommodation bookings around the time of the concert, but many Albanians have criticised him for spending public money on a concert whilst ignoring the basic needs of the country's people.

Daily protests have taken place in Tirana for more than a month. ⁠They were sparked by plans for a luxury resort by U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: KASHAR, ALBANIA (JULY 11, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. VARIOUS OF CONCERT STAFF WALKING AT VENUE

2. VARIOUS OF CONCERT GOERS WAITING TO BUY KANYE WEST T-SHIRTS

3. CONCERT GOER WEARING T-SHIRT READING (English) "YE DID NOTHING WRONG"

4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) KANYE WEST FAN FROM VERONA, ITALY, LUCA OTTAVIANI, SAYING:

"The show was cancelled in Italy, so we came here in Albania. And we love the Albanians for allowing this show to happen. And I know there was a lot of controversy about the money and everything around the concert, but we came, we spent a lot of money, we came from outside, so we hope that it will be a great concert and that Ye would be energetic, and we hope the best."

5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) KANYE WEST FAN FROM LATVIA, MARK ROZENBERG, SAYING:

"Yeah, I've read the news about the Albanian protests. Actually, we were yesterday also participating in the protest in Tirana. But about the artist himself, well, I like his music. I don't agree with everything he said. But I've grown up with his music, and it was my dream to visit him once, to see him once. So Albania was also my destination to visit one time, and here's the concert, so I thought, why not?"

6. VARIOUS OF FANS WAITING IN LINE

7. (SOUNDBITE) (German) KANYE WEST FAN FROM BERLIN, SOFIA ZAIKOVSKA, SAYING:

"But I've been listening to him for, I don't know, about a year, and I know many of his songs. Yes, and for example my friend has been listening to Carnival for about 10 years or so, and he knows him very well. And we also met him at the hotel yesterday. Yes, and we waited for him for five hours, and we saw him, and that was very cool. And we also, for example, visited Tirana and Durrës, and I really like these cities."

TIRANA, ALBANIA (JULY 11, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

8. VARIOUS OF LED SIGNS ADVERTISING CONCERT

9. VARIOUS OF BANNERS ADVERTISING YE CONCERT

10. (SOUNDBITE) (Albanian) TIRANA RESIDENT, ARDIT HILA, SAYING:

"For the concert, I think that if the government manages to do business with a singer like Kanye West and earns more money and then invests that money in the people, that's okay. If it's not worth it, then it's pointless to put money into the concert, because everything goes to waste — it's a shame."

11. VARIOUS OF ALBANIAN GOVERNMENT BUILDING

12. VARIOUS OF BOULEVARD "DESHMORET E KOMBIT" IN DOWNTOWN TIRANA

KASHAR, ALBANIA (RELEASED - JULY 11, 2026) (ALBANIAN GOVERNMENT - Access all) (MUTE) (NIGHT SHOTS) (MUTE)

13. VARIOUS AERIAL VIEWS OF STADIUM WHERE CONCERT WILL TAKE PLACE