'Separate the art from the artist,' say Kanye West fans at controversial Albania concert

Fans of Kanye West said they were 'separating the art from the artist' on Saturday (July 11) as they waited outside a concert by the controversial U.S. rapper. 

Concert-goers from around the world said they were there to hear West's music and denounced comments about Jewish people and praise of Adolf Hitler.

Performances by the rapper, who is also known as Ye, have been cancelled in other European countries this summer over the controversy. Fans from as far away as Israel and the UK were at Saturday's gig in a specially built arena on the outskirts of Tirana.

The Albanian government spent four million euros ($4.56 million) on the concert to avoid a possible cancellation. Prime Minister Edi Rama has sought to defuse anger over the ‌event, which 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.

Camera: Fatos Bytyci, Florion Goga. Production: Thomas Holdstock/Reuters