Kanye West triggers religious controversy at huge Istanbul concert

Kanye West is banned from a score of countries in Europe over his past anti-Semitic outbursts.

But in the country - Turkiye - where he was green-lighted to perform, it reportedly ended up in controversy.

The matter was triggered by Ye performing his track I Am God during his record-breaking show in Istanbul.

Oktay Saral, who is chief advisor to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, strongly objected to the 2013 song being performed.

In a fiery tweet on X, he penned, "The fact that tens of thousands of people enthusiastically chanted 'I am a God' is a serious matter that demands close examination."

The show featured "rhetoric and symbols that run counter to our faith and civilisational values".

But for Saral, the controversial track was not the only objectionable aspect of the concert.

He pointed to the presence of Michele Lamy, a French designer known for her gothic and occult appearance.

Saral also urged the country's tourism ministry "to exercise far greater caution regarding such events that concern the spiritual and cultural sensitivities of our nation".

The controversy is the latest addition to a growing list of backlash West faced from his controversial antics.

Notably, the concert by the Chicago rapper in Istanbul was a hit, given that the show drew in nearly 120,000 fans.

Not to mention, Ye kicked off his European tour with this show.

But now criticism of the recent concert might fuel West's critics' demands that his other concerts be canceled.

It is worth noting that social media accounts associated with West's fanbase shared the list of tracks performed at the Istanbul show.

I Am God was not among them.