Kanye Stops Show After Wheelchair-Bound Punters Don’t Stand Up

Kanye West has developed a notorious reputation for putting his foot in his mouth, but a recent bit of crowd interaction at a Sydney show could be one of his most unfortunate faux pas yet. West reportedly stopped a song when two audience members did not stand up – because they were in wheelchairs.

According to several eyewitness accounts posted to social media, as well as an annotation on Setlist.fm, West refused to perform his single Good Life, from his 2007 album, Graduation, until everyone inside the Qantas Credit Union Arena was standing and was angered when he saw two fans who were seated.

According to an account given to The Daily Mail, West told the packed Sydney crowd, “I can’t do this song, I can’t do this show until everybody stand up. Unless you got a handicap pass and you get special parking and shit. I’m [gonna] see you if you ain’t standing up. Believe me, I’m very good at that.”

After witnessing one concertgoer waving a prosthetic limb, West acknowledged them, saying, “Okay, you fine!” However, after complaining that “This is the longest I’ve had to wait to do a song”, West sent his bodyguard, Pascal Duvier, into the arena to check if a seated punter really was confined to a wheelchair.

The Daily Mail reported earlier in the week that West attempted a similar piece of crowd banter during a show at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena. The rapper reportedly told the crowd to stand during a performance of the same track, excusing those concertgoers who “have handicapped parking”.

West is set to wrap-up his Australian tour with a show at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre tomorrow night. Readers can check below for images from the rapper’s Friday night performance at the Qantas Credit Union Arena or get all the action from the first of his two Melbourne performances right here.

UPDATE 15/09/14: Footage of Kanye West’s Sydney wheelchair incident has emerged online. The video confirms that once Kanye was made aware of wheelchair-bound fans in attendance, he jumped right into the song Goodlife. View the footage below.

Watch: Kanye West’s Sydney Wheelchair Incident (12/09/14)

Photos: Kanye West – Sydney, Qantas Credit Union Arena 12/09/14

Photos by Ashley Mar