Kanye West is facing an extraordinary warning from Brazilian authorities: if he promotes Nazism or performs any material glorifying Adolf Hitler during his upcoming concert in São Paulo, he will be arrested immediately. The directive, issued by the São Paulo State Public Prosecutor's Office (MPSP), comes ahead of West's planned November 29 performance and includes specific instructions for Riot Police to detain the artist "if he sings a song or makes any kind of apology for Nazism."
The unprecedented order reflects growing concern among Brazilian officials over West's recent controversies and his 2024 track "Heil Hitler," which local outlet Metrópoles described as "glorifying German Nazi Party leader Adolf Hitler." Prosecutors have also extended liability to the show's two promoters, Guilherme Cavalcante and Jean Fabrício Ramos-known professionally as Faublous Fabz-warning that any attempt to stage or enable a performance featuring Nazi imagery or ideology will lead to immediate arrest.
The sweeping legal directive ensures that not only West but also anyone facilitating his platform could face prosecution. In effect, the prosecutor's office has transformed the concert into a high-risk operation under full legal and police scrutiny.
Adding to the mounting pressure, São Paulo's mayor, Ricardo Nunes, issued his own categorical statement rejecting any attempt by West to perform on city property. "No one who promotes Nazism will play or sing any words on public equipment belonging to the City Hall," Nunes told Metrópoles. The mayor emphasized that the city government would act as a united front against any public expression of hate speech. "We do not accept it and we will do everything necessary to ensure that no one who promotes Nazism has any kind of activity here in the city of São Paulo," he said.
The political stance leaves West isolated on multiple fronts, with both law enforcement and city leadership aligned in blocking his concert. The joint effort effectively eliminates the possibility of hosting the event in any government-owned venue, while private operators now face the risk of legal entanglement should they attempt to proceed.
Complicating matters further, West's tour appears to be collapsing under its own logistical weight. As of mid-November, he has not secured a venue to replace the Interlagos racetrack, which cancelled the concert in early October. Despite public promotion of the date, the event remains venue-less less than three weeks out-a situation that underscores the disarray surrounding his international tour.
According to Metrópoles, this legal and logistical breakdown mirrors a wider trend of global resistance to West's public statements. Earlier this year, he was denied entry into Australia following public backlash over "Heil Hitler." The repeated rejections from major nations reflect the increasingly tangible consequences of his rhetoric, as governments move from condemnation to direct legal action.
In Brazil, that action is now explicit: perform the song or repeat its message, and Kanye West will be arrested.
