Ye, the artist formerly known as Kanye West, made a notable return to the concert stage on Monday, marking his first live appearance since a series of controversial remarks last year led to his alienation from the music industry and the termination of lucrative fashion deals with Adidas, Gap, and Balenciaga.

Ye’s comeback took place during a livestreamed album-release concert by Travis Scott at Circus Maximus in central Rome. The historic venue, once a site for chariot races and entertainment in ancient times, set the stage for the collaboration between Scott and his mentor, Ye. Dressed in white and black, respectively, they performed two songs together: “Praise God” from Ye’s 2021 album “Donda” and “Can’t Tell Me Nothing,” a classic from Ye’s 2007 album “Graduation.”

Addressing the crowd, Scott emphasized the significance of Kanye West in the music industry, stating, “There is no ‘Utopia’ without Kanye West. There is no Travis Scott without Kanye West. There is no Rome without Kanye West.”

Ye’s return to the stage comes after a period of controversy and alienation following antisemitic remarks on social media and at Paris Fashion Week last year. These incidents led to his expulsion from social media platforms, departure from the Creative Artists Agency, and the termination of his partnerships, including the valuable deal with Adidas, which contributed over 10 percent of the company’s $2 billion profit in 2021.

Despite facing widespread condemnation, Ye continued to stand by his controversial comments. Last December, he appeared on “Infowars,” hosted by conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, where he made controversial statements expressing admiration for Hitler. Following this, Ye largely kept a low profile until Twitter recently restored his account, which had been suspended after the Infowars interview.

Before the Rome concert, Ye’s last live performance was in Miami in February 2022, promoting his album “Donda 2.”