For a birthday party

Rapper Kanye West on a private visit to Moscow

According to Russian media, Kanye West has traveled to Moscow for a private visit. "Kanye West is in Moscow! This is great news, he is in the heart of the capital," the state news agency Tass quoted producer Yana Rudkovskaya as saying on Sunday.

Former Russian presidential candidate Xenia Sobchak, for her part, published a short video on the online service Telegram, which she said showed the US rapper looking out over Red Square from the roof of the famous Gum shopping center.

Celebrating with a Russian friend
According to Sobchak, West is in Moscow to celebrate the 40th birthday of his friend Gosha Rubchinsky, a popular Russian fashion designer.

Is Kanye West planning an appearance in Moscow?(Bild: APA/Getty Images via AFP/GETTY IMAGES/Monica Schipper)

West, who now goes by the name Ye, has already expressed his admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin in the past.

Caused numerous scandals
In his home country, West has increasingly become an outsider in show business in recent years due to anti-Semitic and Hitler-glorifying statements. The German sporting goods manufacturer Adidas and fashion companies such as Gap and Balenciaga ended their collaboration with the rapper.

Since the beginning of the offensive in Ukraine, there have been almost no performances by Western artists in Russia. The reports about West's visit to Russia are now fueling rumors about a concert by Kim Kardashian's ex-husband in Moscow. However, the Luzhniki Stadium, which is being circulated as an alleged performance venue, told state media that it had no information in this regard.