Kanye West, now known simply as Ye, has been regarded as one of the most talented and influential rappers of the 21st century. Many people know him for his music, with albums like Graduation and My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy widely considered to be among the greatest rap albums of all time. Others were introduced to Kanye via his marriage to reality star Kim Kardashian from 2014 up until their very public divorce in 2022.
He has also made large contributions to the fashion industry through his Yeezy brand shoes and clothing, formerly in collaboration with Adidas. All these accomplishments have led to a lot of media coverage of his life, and a fair amount of controversy. Kanye has been criticized for his views on abortion and the Covid-19 Vaccine, among other things.
However, in October of 2022, Kanye took it to a new level and said on Twitter, “death con 3 on JEWISH PEOPLE” in an incoherent message in which he also claimed that he can’t be antisemitic because he is black, and “black people are also jew.” This sparked much controversy, was condemned as a threat of violence, and got Kanye suspended from Twitter. He was later reinstated after Elon Musk bought the platform.
Instead of apologizing and attempting to restore his reputation, Kanye doubled down and continued with the hate speech, talking further about supposed Jewish control over the music and finance industries. Most notably, in December 2022 Kanye appeared in an interview with Alex Jones and expressed his admiration for Hitler and the Nazis, stating at the end of the show, “I like Hitler.”
More recently, Kanye took to X (formerly Twitter) for a series of unhinged tweets about a variety of topics including (but not limited to) disabled children, idolizing accused sex offender P Diddy, and yet more antisemitism. During this saga he made statements such as “Hitler was sooooo fresh” and “IM A NAZI.”
Along with this, Kanye urged his fans to go to his website, yeezy.com, where he previously sold his signature shoes before being dropped by Adidas. It was home to only one item: a plain white T-shirt with a black swastika, called the “HH-01,” undoubtably standing for Heil Hitler.
These actions sparked immediate backlash, with business partners such as GAP, Balenciaga, and Adidas severing ties with Kanye and his Yeezy brand. This cost Kanye an estimated 1.5 billion dollars in his business’ value, causing him to lose his billionaire status. Additionally, his comments led to widespread condemnation from various political leaders and religious groups, including former allies such as his own talent agency.
Socially, Kanye’s words emboldened hate around America. In Los Angeles, banners were displayed over freeways with slogans supporting his antisemitic remarks. Jewish organizations such as the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), noted a spike in antisemitic incidents following his statements.
I spoke with Lincoln sophomore, Amit Gortzak, about Kanye Wests statements. Gortzak said “I haven’t seen a rise in antisemitism, but more of an acceptance of it… people think it’s more of a joke and not real, but it is.” Some might wonder if public attitudes are really influenced by Kanye’s statements, but he’s proven to have a real effect. From October 2022 to February 2023, the ADL documented more than 30 incidences of antisemitism that directly referenced Kanye West.
Something to keep in mind when talking about Kanye West’s outbursts, are his open struggles with bipolar disorder, a condition that can cause extreme mood swings, impulsivity, and disorganized thinking. Many people attribute his rhetoric to symptoms of this disorder. However, his self-reported refusal to take medication or seek treatment leaves him with no excuse not to take full accountability for his actions.
Kanye West is a perfect example of how a powerful platform can be used to spread hateful ideas to millions. His downfall serves as a reminder that influence comes with responsibility, and that in the wrong hands, it can cause harm to countless innocent people.