Following numerous reports of Kanye West’s antisemitism, seen most clearly by his recent tweets threatening to go “all DCON 3 on Jewish People,” West refuses to back down and plead innocence, despite all the backlash being held upon his character right now. After being dropped by numerous big-name companies such as Adidas, who sponsored his very successful shoe brand “Yeezy’s,” Balenciaga, Skechers, Peloton, and Gap, several people who were once close to the artist relayed instances of Kanye’s idealization and fascination with Adolf Hitler, an obsession that was so great that he once “wanted to name an album after the Nazi leader.” There is, as of yet, no information about why Kanye decided to use the title Ye for his 2018 album instead. 

A business executive who worked for West recalled the hostile work environment his anti-semitism and admiration for Hitler created “He would praise Hitler by saying how incredible it was that he was able to accumulate so much power and would talk about all the great things he and the Nazi Party achieved for the German people”(CNN). These comments did not come as a surprise for any of West’s former associates following Kanye’s statements that “slavery is a choice” in a 2018 interview with TMZ’s former employee Van Lathan Jr., during which West also offered some antisemitic comments which were then taken out of the published interview and not released to the public (CNN).

In response to Kanye West’s antisemitic comments, Australian singer Nick Cave says the comments are “deeply disappointing” but expresses that “he eventually will be able to listen to Ye’s music again, despite the disheartening behavior.” To learn more, read this article.

Kanye West has lost numerous brand partnerships, with his Donda Academy abruptly closing and mass pushes for Spotify to remove his music from the platform. However, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek says he has no authority to remove his music but does condemn his antisemitic comments.