03.06.2026 00:10
World-renowned rapper Kanye West, who broke his own career record by performing a concert for 118,000 people in Istanbul, has also put Ankara on the agenda with his massive event. Presidential Chief Advisor Oktay Saral made harsh criticisms, stating that the concert cannot be seen as an ordinary music event. Saral argued that the concert displayed discourse and dark symbols contrary to religious and civilizational values, adding that youth are facing a global cultural siege.
Presidential Chief Advisor Oktay Saral made a much-talked-about statement regarding the massive concert held by world-famous rap star Kanye West in Istanbul. Stating that he does not see the event as an ordinary entertainment organization, Saral harshly criticized that the symbols and discourses displayed at the concert are completely contrary to societal beliefs and civilization values.
"118 THOUSAND YOUNG PEOPLE WERE MADE PART OF A GLOBAL SHOW"
Drawing attention to the number of young people attending the concert and the messages in the content, Oktay Saral expressed that the scale of the organization and the events on stage need to be seriously analyzed. Saral said, "118 thousand young people have been made part of a show, paying money, where discourses and symbols contrary to our faith and civilization values were displayed. The enthusiastic repetition of the words 'I am a God' by tens of thousands of people is a situation that needs to be seriously addressed."
MICHÈLE LAMY AND THE OCCULTISM WARNING
In his statement, Chief Advisor Saral, who claimed that the concert was not limited to music but had different symbolic focal points in its background, made a striking claim by naming famous designer Michèle Lamy. Pointing to the background of the organization, Saral said, "Moreover, the presence of Michèle Lamy, who is associated with occultism and dark symbols, surrounding this organization shows that the matter is not just about music and entertainment."
"THE SILENCE OF THE CONSERVATIVE SEGMENT IS DIRE"
Saral, who described the silence and complicity of different segments of society regarding this cultural situation as "thought-provoking," increased the intensity of his criticism. Arguing that an alienation of youth is being imposed under stage lights, Saral reacted to the conservative community becoming part of this cultural siege and no one objecting to this situation, calling it "dire."
CALL FOR ATTENTION TO THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE AND TOURISM
In the final part of his statement, Presidential Chief Advisor Oktay Saral addressed relevant state institutions and Turkish youth, calling for a clear stance to be taken for such global organizations:
"We invite our Ministry of Culture and Tourism to be much more careful in such organizations concerning the spiritual and cultural sensitivities of our nation. The children of this nation should embrace their own civilization values, not the directions of the global culture industry."