Producer Bayana Alaguzova has expressed outrage over the different conditions for concerts by Kazakh group KeshYou and American rapper Kanye West (Ye) in Almaty, reports infohub.kz.
In her post on Threads, Alaguzova noted that Kanye West was allowed to use fireworks during his performance, while local artists were denied this. She asked: "Are all equal before the law, but some are more equal?"
"It's strange and offensive that for our artists it's still: 'Sorry, you're ours, you can't.' But for Kanye it's allowed... So, are all equal before the law, but some are more equal? Considering that we actually put on a world-class show, while Kanye just walked around the sphere without much effort," the producer said.
The post sparked a lively discussion in the comments. Users were divided: some supported Alaguzova, saying Kazakh artists need more support, while others urged not to compare KeshYou with a world-class artist.
"Kanye doesn't need to put on a show with costume changes and dances to be listened to; it's enough for him to walk around the sphere—that's the difference," one user wrote.
Other commenters reminded about Kanye West's international recognition and urged not to devalue his achievements. They also recalled that the rapper has 24 Grammy awards.
"The use of pyrotechnics is a strict requirement in the technical rider of world-class stars like Kanye West. Artists use certified and insured equipment, and refusal would break the contract. Such shows bring huge benefits; for example, J.Lo's concerts brought Kazakhstan 16.5 billion tenge in turnover and 1 billion tenge in taxes. Kanye is a world star who has come a long way to success. Let's not devalue his work or make comparisons. To praise KeshYou, there's no need to belittle anyone. KeshYou are great on their own," one commenter noted.
Some users emphasized that Alaguzova was primarily talking about different conditions for artists, not comparing their popularity or scale. "The main point was about the fireworks," one participant said.
Earlier, Kursiv reported that the Almaty police department said the concert of American rapper Ye, postponed from August 14 to August 15, went smoothly without incidents. About 2,500 police officers and National Guard servicemen ensured the safety of spectators.