Kanye West - who now calls himself Ye - is scheduled to headline three nights of the festival in London in July. The booking has been met with criticism following West's repeated anti-Semitic statements, and several sponsors have pulled out of the event.
Now Melvin Benn, CEO of Festival Republic, which helps promote the festival, is urging West's critics to "reflect on their spontaneous comments of disgust at the thought of him performing" and to show the artist "a little forgiveness and hope."
In recent years, West has, among other things, paid tribute to Adolf Hitler and sold clothing with swastikas.
