Kanye West is facing major financial fallout after a controversial appearance with his wife, Bianca Censori, at the 2025 Grammys.
What was intended as a headline-grabbing stunt has reportedly cost the rapper a staggering $20 million deal for two shows at Tokyo Dome this May.
Kanye West is no stranger to making a grand entrance, and this year’s Grammys was no exception. West and his wife Bianca Censori pulled up in twin all-chrome Mercedes-Maybachs, each valued at a staggering $450,000.
The futuristic, mirror-like cars gleamed under the flashing lights, but it was Censori’s bold fashion choice that that really stole the spotlight.
According to Daily Mail sources, Censori’s daring, see-through, skin-colored outfit alarmed Japanese investors, sparking a wave of disapproval. Insiders revealed that West’s attempt to create buzz backfired spectacularly in Japan, where cultural norms differ significantly from those in the U.S.
“Kanye is just ****ing up every opportunity that comes to him,” one source bluntly stated. “The stunt was creepy beyond belief and has been greeted with horror in Japan. He has completely misjudged the tolerance of the Japanese people.”
The stunt that cost millions
During the Grammys, Censori arrived draped in a dramatic black fur coat over a sheer mesh ensemble. In a calculated move, West reportedly told her to “make a scene” — prompting Censori to drop the coat as cameras flashed, leaving little to the imagination.
Speaking with the Daily Mail, lip-reading expert Nicola Hickling deciphered the “chilling” and “creepy” conversation between the couple on the red carpet, starting with the moment Censori had her back turned to cameras.
According to Hickling, the Yeezy founder tells his wife: “You’re making a scene now.” He then encourages Censori by adding, “Make a scene, I’ll say it’ll make so much sense,” the expert claims.
The Australian model nodded, and Hickling suggests Kanye then said: “Drop it behind you and then turn, I got you.”
“Alright let’s go,” Censori replied, according to Hickling.
Appeared to be a publicity push
The act appeared to be a publicity push for West’s Yeezy brand, aiming to dominate headlines and stir social media outrage.
However, the shock factor came with unexpected consequences.
Japanese investors, unsettled by the spectacle, swiftly withdrew their support for West’s upcoming Tokyo Dome concerts. The incident was perceived not just as provocative, but as publicly disrespectful toward Censori. West, 47, was set to perform two concerts at the Tokyo Dome this May.
“Japan is having a cultural awakening about women’s rights, and the MeToo movement is really strong here,” an insider explained. “What he did is being seen as an act of coercive control, which is utterly unacceptable. He has completely culturally misjudged Japan.”
Global backlash
The backlash wasn’t limited to Japan. West’s American colleagues also criticized the stunt, especially since it took place against a backdrop of billboards promoting donations for victims of the LA wildfires.
“Pulling a stunt like this at a fundraiser event, especially when people are suffering, is inconceivably stupid and crass,” another insider said. “It’s a screw-up on a huge scale, but all that Kanye is interested in at the moment is launching his cryptocurrency, and everything else seems to pass him by.”
Reacting to Hickling’s interpretation of the red-carpet chat, online users also expressed deep concern over the couple’s dynamic.
“It’s just him coercing her into taking her jacket off to ‘make a scene’…It was so obvious she was uncomfortable but he made her do it anyway and that makes me sick to my stomach,” tweets one fan.
A second netizen offers, “Look at Bianca Censori’s startled face and uncertain body language. Kanye West directs her. Look how she moves – it’s how he tells her to.”
And another writes, “Bianca, girl, what was the thought process? You looked in the mirror, saw yourself draped in nothing but Kanye’s delusions, and thought, ‘Yes, this is the move’???”
What seemed like a bold PR move has turned into a costly miscalculation, leaving West not only out $20 million but also facing mounting criticism from both sides of the Pacific.
What do you make of Censori’s outfit? Let us know thoughts in the comments box.
