The Awardist Kanye West's performance at the Grammys canceled over 'concerning online behavior' The decision comes after the artist now legally known as Ye was briefly suspended from Instagram for using a racial slur against comedian Trevor Noah. By Jessica Wang Jessica Wang Jessica is a staff writer at Entertainment Weekly, where she covers TV, movies, and pop culture. Her work has appeared in Bustle, NYLON, Cosmopolitan, InStyle, and more. She lives in California with her dog. EW's editorial guidelines Published on March 20, 2022 06:32PM EDT Kanye West has been removed as a performer at the upcoming 64th Annual Grammy Awards, his rep confirmed to EW. The rapper (now legally known as Ye) was barred due to his "concerning online behavior," receiving the call before the weekend that he had "unfortunately" been removed from the lineup of performers at the ceremony, set to be held at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on April 3. EW has reached out to CBS and the Recording Academy for comment. The Blast, which first reported the news, noted the decision was made partially because of concerns over possible interactions between West and the ceremony's host, Trevor Noah. West was briefly suspended from Instagram last week after he used a racial slur against Noah in a post regarding comments made on The Daily Show about West's behavior towards ex-wife, Kim Kardashian, and her boyfriend, Pete Davidson. Kanye West's Instagram account has been restricted. Ronald Martinez/Getty "I'll be honest with you — what I see from the situation is a woman who wants to live her life without being harassed by an ex-boyfriend or an ex-husband or an ex-anything," Noah said in the segment. "You may not feel sorry for Kim because she's rich and famous, because she appropriates Black culture ... but what she's going through is terrifying to watch and shines a spotlight on what so many women go through when they choose to leave." In response, West rewrote the lyrics to "Kumbaya" and called Noah a derogatory slur referring to a Black person who rejects their ethnicity. Noah responded in earnest, writing, "You're an indelible part of my life Ye. Which is why it breaks my heart to see you like this. I don't care if you support Trump, and I don't care if you roast Pete. I do, however, care when I see you on a path that's dangerously close to peril and pain." On Twitter Sunday, Noah reacted to the news of West's removal from the Grammys lineup, writing, "I said counsel Kanye not cancel Kanye." West is nominated for five Grammys at the 2022 ceremony, including Album of the Year and Best Rap Album for Donda. Performers set to take the MGM Grand Garden Arena stage include Olivia Rodrigo, BTS, Billie Eilish, Lil Nas X with Jack Harlow, and Brothers Osborne, among others. The 2022 Grammys airs April 3 at 8 p.m. EST/5 p.m. PST on CBS. Check out more from EW's The Awardist, featuring exclusive interviews, analysis, and our podcast diving into all the highlights from the year's best films. Related content: See the full list of 2022 Grammy Award nominations The 2022 Grammys secret ballot: 3 Academy voting members share their unfiltered thoughts on who should win 2022 Grammy Awards ceremony lands new date and location