The Kanye Controversy
January 9, 2023
Popular rapper, Kanye West, found himself facing backlash after tweeting out antisemitic comments, posting with multiple right-wing politicians, including former president Donald Trump, wearing controversial t-shirts and many more things.
To start out, in early October, West posted a picture with Candace Owens, a popular right wing author, and the picture showed his new line of shirts. These shirts had the writing, “White Lives Matter” on them. Not long after this incident, West got into a business disagreement about his brand’s products with Adidas, the brand then dropped him, which led to West posting a rant on twitter.
West also did an interview with Tucker Carlson on Fox News, wearing an ultrasound photo around his neck to show his pro-life views.
The anti semitic comments started in October, and on Oct. 7th his account was blocked on Instagram, where he posted a text conversation between himself and Sean Combs, where West says he was going to use Combs, “as an example to show the Jewish people that told you to call me that no one can threaten or influence me”—which the American Jewish Committee says invokes “tropes like greed and control” about Jewish people.
On Oct. 9th, West took toTwitter to say in a now deleted tweet, “I’m a bit sleepy tonight but when I wake up I’m going death con 3 on JEWISH PEOPLE. The funny thing is I actually can’t be anti-Semitic because black people are actually Jews also. You guys have toyed with me and tried to blackball anyone whoever opposes your agenda.”
The antisemitic comments have not stopped since his accounts have been locked, going as far as to post the Star of David with the Nazi hate symbol, a Swastika, infused with the Star of David. Twitter took initiative and suspended him after this incident. West has been open about his bipolar disorder and some people think that these outbursts are because he is off his meds, a theory that he has commented on himself, commenting on one of his instagram posts, “DISMISSIVE TO SAY I’M OFF MY MEDS ANYTIME I SPEAK UP.”
