Beginning in 2018, West expressed opposition to abortion,capital punishment, andwelfare, and supportedgun rights andgay marriage. His views grew more radical following his divorce fromKim Kardashian. In December 2022, West said he admiredAdolf Hitler, publiclydenied the Holocaust, and identified as aNazi in an interview withAlex Jones'sInfowars.[2][3] In a rant onTwitter in February 2025, West madeantisemitic comments, praised Hitler, and defended rapperSean Combs fromsexual misconduct allegations. West initially claimed that his rant was a "social experiment", but later retracted his statement and reaffirmed his views.[4][5] He has been widely condemned and lost many sponsors and partnerships.[a] As of May 2025, West has stated that he is "done with antisemitism".[12]
In October 2019, West (then a devoutEvangelical Christian) spoke outagainst abortion, citing his belief in theFifth Commandment; "thou shalt not kill".[13] In an October 2022 interview withTucker Carlson, Kanye West stated that he isanti-abortion, claiming that "there are more Black babies being aborted than born in New York City at this point. That 50% of Black death in America is abortion".[14] That same month, he repeated these claims on a podcast withLex Fridman, saying that "Fifty percent today of ... Black people's deaths today is abortion.... It's not racism; that's too wide of a term. It'sgenocide andpopulation control that Black people are in today in America, that is promoted by the music and the media that Black people make, that Jewish record labels get paid off of".[15]
This section needs to beupdated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. Last update: June 2025(April 2025)
West has spoken in support ofgay marriage early in his career.[18] In a 2005MTV News interview withSway Calloway, West spoke out against homophobia inhip hop music, recalling: "I remember my cousin told me that another one of my cousins was gay, and at that point was the turning point where I was like, 'Yo, this is my cousin, I love him. I've been discriminating against gays. Do I discriminate against my cousin?'"[19]
Later, his views shifted to a more conservative approach. In a 2022 interview forCensored.TV withGavin McInnes, West stated: "You know, the thing about that, 95 percent of gay people don't get married anyway. So it's a very liberal thing that is put up to like cause these headlines. All my policies are gonna follow the Bible."[20]
In April 2025, West would tweet multiple controversial posts abouttransgender people, posting that his "dick to [sic] long for trans pussy" and that "You start dating a trans women [sic] and wondering why y'all got so many things in common."[21]
West was diagnosed withbipolar disorder in 2016.[22] His 2018 albumYe discussed his struggles with mental health, including the diagnosis, and its cover art contains the statement "I hate being Bi-Polar, it's awesome".[23] In December 2018, West said that he stopped taking bipolar medication six months prior as he believed it was negatively impacting the quality of his musical output, declaring that he could not have made his albumsMy Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy andWatch the Throne while medicated.[24]
In a 2022 interview withrecord executiveWack 100, West alleged that his previous diagnosis of having bipolar disorder was a misdiagnosis from a Jewish doctor, believing that he is "more autistic than bipolar."[25][failed verification] In a 2025 interview with Justin Laboy, West would state he had been formally diagnosed with autism at the suggestion of his wife.[26][failed verification]
Although West has written several books, he has shown aversion to books and the act of reading.[27] During a 2022 episode ofAlo Yoga's "Alo Mind Full" podcast, West said that he "actually haven't read any book [sic]", adding on that "Reading is like eating Brussels sprouts for me."[28]
In September 2018, West called for the alteration of theThirteenth Amendment as it contained a loophole which suggested the legality of enslaving convicts.[31] During a meeting with Trump the following month, West called the Thirteenth Amendment a "trap door".[32]
In October 2019, West stated during a performance with theSunday Service Choir that people were too busy discussing music and sports instead of focusing on a broken system that he claims imprisons "one in three African-Americans...in this country."[33] The following month, West alleged that the media calls him "crazy" to silence his opinion, connecting this to the incarceration of African-Americans and celebrities.[34]
In May 2018, West espoused the "Democratic plantation" theory thatwelfare is a tool used by theDemocratic Party to keep black Americans as an underclass that remains reliant on the party.[38] During a September 2018 special guest appearance onSaturday Night Live, after the show had already gone off the air, West alleged to the crowd that it was a Democratic Party plan "to take the fathers out [of] the home and promote welfare."[39][40]
The following month, West alleged thathomicide was a byproduct of a "welfare state" that destroyed black families.Jelani Cobb challenged West's claim inThe New Yorker (at least as much as it applied toChicago), arguing that "the catalysts for violence in that city predate the 'welfare state' and the rise of single-parent black households, in the nineteen-seventies." He pointed to findings fromChicago Commission on Race Relations regarding the violence of theChicago race riots of 1919 and a 1945 study entitledBlack Metropolis, published by sociologistsSt. Clair Drake andHorace Cayton, which Cobb wrote, "detailed the ways in which discrimination in housing and employment were negatively affecting black migrants." He also noted similar observations made byW. E. B. Du Bois inPhiladelphia, in 1903.[41]
In 2005, West appeared as a guest host duringA Concert for Hurricane Relief, a benefit concert for the victims ofHurricane Katrina, alongside actorMike Myers. West deviated from his script, criticizing the media's apparent disparity of the treatment of black victims as opposed to white victims of the devastating hurricane. He finished his speech by stating the now-infamous quote "George Bush doesn't care about black people",criticizing the United States' federal response to Katrina.[53] He apologized for the comment in 2010, saying he "didn't have the grounds to call [Bush] a racist" and later stated in regard to the remark that he "was programmed to think from a victimized mentality".[54]
Future presidentBarack Obama consulted with West during his2008 presidential campaign, and West would perform at aDemocratic National Committee party that August to support Obama's run for president, revealing on stage that he wished; "[his]momma could have seen this day".[55][56] West would later post a portrait of Obama on his blog after his election win, with a message reading "HI MOM, OBAMA WON!".[57] West performed alongside artistsFall Out Boy andKid Rock at Obama'sYouth Inaugural Ball in 2009, praising the newly inaugurated President Obama during his set.[58][59]
In September 2015, West announced that he intended to run for President of the United States in2020.[63][64][65] He later implied on Twitter that he intended to run for president in 2024 due to Donald Trump's win in the2016 elections.[66][67] West later confirmed this in an interview in September 2018,[68] saying that his main political concern ishealth care in the United States.[69] On December 13, 2016, West met withPresident-elect Trump.[70] According to West, "I wanted to meet with Trump today to discuss multicultural issues. These issues included bullying, supporting teachers, modernizing curriculums, andviolence in Chicago. I feel it is important to have a direct line of communication with our future President if we truly want change."[71]
West previously stated he would have voted for Trump had he voted.[72] In February 2017, however, West deleted all his tweets about Trump in purported dislike of the new president's policies, particularly thetravel ban.[73] West reiterated his support for Donald Trump in April 2018 in a text toEbro Darden where he said "I love Donald Trump... I love Donald Trump."[74] West also posted a picture wearing aMake America Great Again hat alongside a series of tweets defending President Trump.[75] Trump later retweeted several of West's tweets.[76]
Following his return to Twitter in April 2018, West tweeted "I love the wayCandace Owens thinks."[77] The tweet was met with controversy among some of West's fans.[78]
In May 2018, West said in an interview with radio hostCharlamagne tha God that he had been asked by a friend "What makes George Bush any more racist than Trump?".[79] This was possibly alluding to his previous controversial condemnation of Bush as not caring about black people.[80] West said "racism isn't the deal-breaker for me. If that was the case, I wouldn't live in America."[79]
In the same interview, West expressed admiration forBernie Sanders and his policies, saying "the Ye version [of a presidential campaign] would be the Trump campaign with maybe the Bernie Sanders principles. That would be my mix and stuff."[81] In a 2020 interview with Nick Cannon, West revealed he wanted to meet withJoe Biden and Bernie Sanders, but was denied by Sanders.[82]
On October 11, 2018, West visited theOval Office for a meeting with President Trump to discuss a range of issues. He and several other musicians watched Trump sign theMusic Modernization Act.[83] Later in October 2018, West and his wife visited the pro-Trump president ofUganda,Yoweri Museveni, who said they held "fruitful discussions" about promoting tourism and the arts.[84]
In 2018, West expressed support forgun rights, saying "the problem is illegal guns. Illegal guns is the problem, not legal guns. We have the right to bear arms". West's remarks received support from theNational Rifle Association of America (NRA).[85]
The same month, West donated $73,540 toprogressive Chicago mayoral candidateAmara Enyia. The donation was the exact amount Enyia needed to pay a fine she received for not filing campaignfinance reports during her abbreviated 2015 mayoral run.[86]
Also in the same month, West was reported to have given his support to theBlexit movement, a campaign by Owens to encourage black Americans to abandon the Democratic Party and register asRepublicans.[87] Media reports suggested West had advised on the design of the campaign's logo, and branded merchandise, including T-shirts.[88][89] However, West denied being the designer and disavowed the effort, tweeting "My eyes are now wide open and now realize I've been used to spread messages I don't believe in. I am distancing myself from politics and completely focusing on being creative !!!"[90]
At least five presidents have condemned West for his statements and actions. George W. Bush criticized West for "calling him a racist".[99]Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama condemned his actions following the2009 MTV Video Music Awards, with Obama calling him a "jackass" during an interview.[100][101] Donald Trump andJoe Biden (indirectly through a tweet) criticized West in 2022 after he praised theNazis.[102][103]
In 2018, West criticized theThirteenth Amendment, citing the provision allowing slavery as punishment for a crime.[31] In May, West caused controversy when he said during an appearance onTMZ: "When you hear about slavery for 400 years... for 400 years? That sounds like a choice. You were there for 400 years and it's all of y'all. It's like we're mentally imprisoned."[104] West responded to the controversy on Twitter: "Of course I know that slaves did not get shackled and put on a boat by free will. My point is for us to have stayed in that position even though the numbers were on our side means that we were mentally enslaved" and "The reason why I brought up the 400 years point is that we can't be mentally imprisoned for another 400 years. We need free thought now. Even the statement was an example of free thought. It was just an idea. Once again I am being attacked for presenting new ideas."[105] Later, on August 29, 2018, West offered up an emotional apology for his slavery comment during a radio interview with107.5 WGCI Chicago.[106][107][108]
In November 2016, West told black people to "stop focusing on racism", but clarified that his support for Trump did not mean he did not "believe inBlack Lives Matter."[109] In June 2020, West participated in theGeorge Floyd protests and donated $2million to help victims of the rioting that took place during demonstrations. He also paid off Floyd's daughter'scollege tuition.[110][111] The following month, West stated that one of his priorities would be to endpolice brutality, adding that "[the] police are people too".[112]
On October 3, 2022, during hisYeezy Season 9 fashion show in Paris, West wore a shirt with the script "White Lives Matter",[112][113][114] a move described byForbes as controversial.[112] According to theAnti-Defamation League, the phrase is awhite supremacist slogan that was created in response to Black Lives Matter protests against police brutality.[115] Conservative commentator Candace Owens posed for a photo with West, while wearing a matching shirt with the slogan.[113][114] Following the event, West posted a story on his Instagram, stating: "Everyone know that Black Lives Matter was a scam now it's over you're welcome."[116]
In October 2022,CNN reported, based on anonymous sources, that West had a "disturbing history of admiring"Nazi Germany andAdolf Hitler.[117] Though West said in a September 2022 podcast he had not read any book,[118]CNN reported he had read Hitler's manifestoMein Kampf (1925).[117]Rolling Stone reported that West's admiration of the Nazis and Hitler had been an open secret within the music industry for around two decades,[119] andTheWrap found that West had made public statements employingantisemitic tropes since at least 2005. He has had a lengthy friendship with theNation of Islam leaderLouis Farrakhan, who has been described as an antisemite by theAnti-Defamation League (ADL) and theSouthern Poverty Law Center.[120]
According toRolling Stone's sources, West had repeatedly brought up the Nazis and Hitler as far back as 2003, during the production ofThe College Dropout (2004). The sources described West as drawing inspiration fromNazi propaganda for his marketing tactics and becoming confrontational if he did not feel his views were validated.[119] During afreestyle event in 2005, West rapped: "I'm tight with my dough like my family Jews, Uh! I said 'Jews', my career is screwed."[120] In theGraduation (2007) song "Flashing Lights", West raps about hating paparazzi more than Nazis, whichCalifornia State University, San Bernardino's Brian Levin said trivializesNazi atrocities.[120]
During theBig Chill music festival on August 6, 2011, West was booed after comparing himself to Hitler during an onstage rant: "There is so much bullshit going on in the music industry right now. Someone needs to make a difference. People treat me like Hitler."[121]The Jerusalem Post wrote that this was West's first remark that "raised eyebrows among Jews".[122] During a November 26, 2013, interview onThe Breakfast Club, West explained why he believed thatBarack Obama had problems pushing policies in Washington: "Black people don't have the same level of connections as Jewish people... We ain't Jewish. We don't get family that got money like that."[123] The ADL condemned West's remark as "the age-old canard thatJews are all-powerful andcontrol the levers of power in government".[123] On December 21, 2013, West retracted the statement, telling a Chicago radio station that "I thought I was giving a compliment, but if anything, it came off more ignorant. I don't know how being told you have money is an insult."[122]
Rolling Stone reported that during a late 2015 business call, West described Hitler as a "marketing genius" who "really understood how to mobilize people in a way that no one ever has."[119] An early version of theLife of Pablo (2016) song "Famous" that wasleaked online contains cut antisemitic lyrics: "The world turnin' Black slowly, where you can call niggas 'niggas', but you better not mention Hitler, so tell me who run the label, where the guns from?"[120] According to CNN, West wanted to title his 2018 album, released asYe,Hitler.[117] The conceptual artistRyder Ripps, who worked with West between 2014 and 2018, recalled West praising the Nazis and discussing antisemitic conspiracy theories in late 2018 meetings. Ripps, a Jew, said he argued with West over the comments but did not regard them as dangerous at the time.[124]
Van Lathan Jr., who conducted the 2018TMZ interview in which West said slavery "sounds like a choice", said that West also made comments expressing love for Hitler and Nazis which were edited out before publication.[117] In a 2019 interview withDavid Letterman, West said that liberals treated Trump supporters like Nazis and insinuated that Jews were behind the#MeToo movement; both comments were edited out of the released interview.[125]NBC News reported in November 2022 that West had paid a settlement to an employee who accused him of antisemitism and praising the Nazis. West denied the accusations in the settlement.[124]
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 Jew also You guys have toyed with me and tried to black ball anyone whoever opposes your agenda
On October 7, 2022, West appeared to suggest in a post on Instagram thatSean Combs is controlled by Jews;[127] in response, Instagram locked his account.[128][129] After being unable to post on Instagram, and previously not tweeting for nearly two years, on October 8, West tweeted that he was "goingdeath con 3" [sic] on Jewish people, prompting media attention.[130] The tweet was widely condemned asantisemitic, and West'sTwitter account was temporarily locked.[131] Prior to sending out the controversial tweet, he had posted an image of himself withMark Zuckerberg on his Twitter, criticizing Zuckerberg for "kick[ing] him off Instagram".[132]
On October 11,Vice reported on unaired segments of an interview of West by Fox News'sTucker Carlson that aired a few days prior, which contained West making several conspiratorial, racist, and antisemitic statements.[127] West said thatMargaret Sanger was a "knowneugenic[ist]" and foundedPlanned Parenthood with theKu Klux Klan (KKK) "to control the Jew population." He added that "When I say Jew, I mean the12 lost tribes of Judah, the blood of Christ, whothe people known as the race Black really are" and that "This is who our people are. The blood of Christ. This, as a Christian, is my belief." West also disapproved of his children going to a school that celebratesKwanzaa, saying "I prefer my kids knewHanukkah than Kwanzaa. At least it will come with some financial engineering."[127][133] Fox News redacted these segments in their original broadcast.[134]
That month, an episode ofLeBron James's show,The Shop: Uninterrupted, featuring West was not released, as West had allegedly made antisemitic comments while recording the episode.[129] On an October 17 episode of the podcastDrink Champs, recorded the day prior, West claimed that he was being targeted by "the Jewish media" and "Zionist Jews" and said, "You really influenced me to get on this anti-Semite vibe and, you know, I'm here to finish the job. I'm here to not back down. They should've never let you niggas get money."[135][136] In the same interview, West reiterated his claim thatblack people are theLost Tribes of Israel.[137] The same day, West alleged in a televised interview withNewsNation'sChris Cuomo that he was being targeted by a "Jewish Underground Media Mafia", which also led to a confrontation with Cuomo.[138][139]
A few days after these comments, on October 22, the neo-NaziGoyim Defense League protested in Los Angeles, hanging a banner that read "Kanye is right about the Jews" above a highway overpass while givingNazi salutes.[140] The demonstration was widely condemned by Jewish advocacy groups and politicians, some of whom urged West's sponsor,Adidas, to cut ties with him. Jeffrey Abrams of the Anti-Defamation League was quoted as expressing that "[t]hese hate groups are now leveraging the anti-Semitic tropes that Kanye West has been peddling on social media [and] on interviews".[141][142]
In response to his antisemitic statements,Vogue,[143]Universal Music Group,[144]CAA,[145]Balenciaga,Gap, andAdidas terminated their collaborations, sponsorships, and relationships with West.[146][147][148]Foot Locker andTJ Maxx removed West's products from their shelves.[149][150] With the termination of his business relationships, West lost his billionaire status;Forbes estimated his reduced worth at $400 million, coming from his "real estate, cash, his music catalog, and a 5% stake in ex-wife Kim Kardashian's shapewear firm,Skims".[151] On October 26, 2022, West was escorted out ofSkechers headquarters inManhattan Beach, California after he arrived unannounced and uninvited; Skechers said it was "not considering and has no intention of working with West".[152][153]
Later in December 2022, while speaking toX17, West stated that he does not suffer frombipolar disorder, and that this was a misdiagnosis from a Jewish doctor. He also responded to the claim that he is having apsychotic episode, stating that he is not having one; he also said he "may be slightly autistic, likeRain Man".[154]
In late November 2022, West was invited byDonald Trump to dine with him atMar-a-Lago. West arrived at the dinner with three other guests, includingNick Fuentes, awhite nationalist andHolocaust denier. Fuentes' presence at the dinner became the subject of much critical media coverage.[155][156] U.S. presidentJoe Biden tweeted that "our political leaders should be calling out and rejecting antisemitism wherever it hides", interpreted as a response toRepublican Party leaders failing to condemn Trump hosting West and Fuentes.[157] Political correspondent Jonathan Weisman ofThe New York Times observed that, forAmerican Jews, "the debate since the dinner has brought into focus what may be the most discomfiting moment in U.S. history in a half-century or more."[158]
Following the visit, West and Fuentes made an appearance onTim Pool'sTimcast IRL podcast on November 28, along withMilo Yiannopoulos. While on the podcast, West went into detail about his meeting with Trump, claiming that it was pushed from October to November by Trump after he announcedhis 2024 bid for presidential election as well as stating thatAlex Jones told West to bring Yiannopoulos with him, who in turn introduced Fuentes as well. West also continued to make antisemitic remarks and compared his situation to that ofMartin Luther King Jr. andMalcolm X. Pool's reluctance to accept West's views angered West, who repeatedly threatened to leave the set, stating that, "I feel like it's a setup ... I'm going to walk the fuck off the show if I'm having to talk about, 'You can't say Jewish people did it,' when every sensible person knows — thatJon Stewart knows — what happened to me, and they took it too far."[159]
After one of West's statements, Pool made a minor concession to West, stating that he believed that "they" had been unfair to him; this then prompted West to ask Pool to clarify what he meant by "they," speculating (along with Fuentes) that it was aeuphemism for Jews. When Pool clarified that he meant thecorporate press, West, realizing that Pool would not entertain his viewpoints, abruptly left the interview and was followed by Fuentes and Yiannopoulos. Their departure was widely chastised, including by Pool himself, who continued the show afterwards, derogatorily labeling West's exit from his podcast as "woke."[160]
On December 1, 2022, West praised Hitler onInfoWars, saying "every human being has something of value that they brought to the table, especially Hitler", "I love Jewish people but I also loveNazis", "There'sa lot of things that Ilove about Hitler;a lot of things", "I like Hitler", and "I am a Nazi".[161] He also stated that "we got to stop dissing the Nazis all the time", "the Jewish media has made us feel like the Nazis and Hitler have never offered anything of value to the world", and "my accounts have been frozen by the Jewish banks". West alsodenied the Holocaust and falsely claimed that it was "factually incorrect" that Hitler killed six million Jews.[162][163][164][165][166] Following the interview, West posted an image on Twitter of aswastika entangled within aStar of David; the symbol is associated with theRaëlian Movement.[167][168][169] His Twitter account was then suspended immediately afterwards, with Twitter ownerElon Musk stating that he had violated Twitter's rules againstincitement to violence.[170][171]
On December 6, 2022, West continued to praise Hitler in an interview withGavin McInnes, founder of theProud Boys. He said Jewish people should "forgive Hitler today". He comparedabortion tothe Holocaust, saying "the Holocaust is not the only holocaust. So for them to take that and claim when we have abortions right now. That's eugenics. That's genocide. That's a holocaust that we're dealing with right now." He said that the Jewish people "control America" and "have China scared", a reference to theZionist Occupation Government conspiracy theory.[172]
In January 2023, many Australians called for West to be banned from entering Australia over his views, includingOpposition LeaderPeter Dutton.[173][174] Dutton told local media:
"My inclination would be not to allow him in. His antisemitic comments are disgraceful, his conduct and behaviour is appalling and he's not a person of good character."[175]
In an Instagram post from March 2023, West wrote, "WatchingJonah Hill in21 Jump Street made me like Jewish people again. No one should take anger against one or two individuals and transform that into hatred towards millions of innocent people. No Christian can be labeled antisemite knowingJesus is Jew. Thank you Jonah Hill I love you."[181]
InThe Trouble with KanYe, a 2023BBC-produced documentary that examines West's controversial views, Alex Klein, a former business partner of West, stated that West was "very angry" and said "I feel like I wanna smack you" and "you're exactly like the other Jews" while working with him. When he asked West if he believed Jews are collaborating with each other to hold him back, he responded by saying "Yes, yes I do."[182] West also said that if he did not have that viewpoint, then he would not "become president."[183]
In December, after a period of media silence, West announced a collaboration withTy Dolla Sign in the form of the albumVultures 1. Thepromotional single for the album featured the line "How I'm antisemitic? I just fucked a Jewish bitch", and the initial cover art for the album was called out by fans to suggest a reference toBurzum, the music project forneo-NaziVarg Vikernes.[184][185] On December 15, a video featuring an expletive-ridden rant from West in a meetup went viral, in which he compared himself to Hitler and Jesus Christ, and criticized people for putting their children in "Zionist schools". He also mentionedNicki Minaj,Jay-Z,Kim Kardashian, North West (his daughter),Drake, andDonald Trump, as well as criticizing the companiesGap andAdidas.[186] In the same rant, West claimed that "50% of our [Black people] deaths is abortion, and 25% of us [Black people] go to prison" and that "the French own 80% of banks in Africa."[187][failed verification]
On December 26, 2023, West left a post on Instagram in Hebrew, where he apologized for the antisemitic comments he made.[188] On January 19, 2024, he appeared in an Instagram post with fellow rapperJPEGMafia wearing a shirt featuring neo-Nazi musicianVarg Vikernes.[189] A month later, he complained of his children being in a "fake school" run by "the system", adding that "At this point everybody knows what 'the system' is code word for."[190]
West posted multiple controversial tweets in quick succession during February 2025
In February 2025, after calling for the freeing of Combs amidsex trafficking and racketeering charges, West continued his tirade of antisemitic comments on hisTwitter account. West also referenced theElon Musk salute controversy and commendedChris Brown for overcomingcancel culture.[191][192][193]Jonathan Greenblatt of theAnti-Defamation League referred to the comments as "a sad attempt for attention that uses Jews as a scapegoat", adding, "Kanye has a far-reaching platform on which to spread his antisemitism and hate. Words matter. And as we've seen too many times before, hateful rhetoric can prompt real-world consequences."[194] On February 7, West also posted an image purported by others to be of him, taken in 1994; in the photograph, West is seen wearing a t-shirt with acrossed out swastika and the slogan "Say no to Nazis' New America".[195]Snopes has given the image an "unproven" rating in their investigation of the image's authenticity.[195] When tweeting the image in 2025, West wrote "I used to be woke too".[195] Several of West's comments were also deemed ashomophobic,ableist, andmisogynistic.[193]
On February 9, 2025, duringSuper Bowl LIX, West ran an ad urging viewers to visit his website, Yeezy.com.[196] West's store page, which initially hosted merchandise dedicated to Sean Combs for sale[191][197] and various songs, was wiped on February 10, 2025, with only a shirt bearing a Naziswastika remaining.[198][199] The shirt appeared on the store front following the advertisement West ran during the Super Bowl the day prior.[196] The shirt was titled "HH-01," presumably intended as an antisemitic dog whistle for the phrase "Heil Hitler."[200][201]Shopify disabled West's store page the following day, stating that "This merchant did not engage in authentic commerce practices and violated our terms, so we removed them from Shopify".[202] The site went back online on February 13, 2025,[203] only displaying text that reads "Yeezy stores coming soon",[204] followed by a heart. The text also appears in the page title.[203]
Alternative cover art for West's visual albumBully (2025)
On February 10, 2025,Elon Musk declared that West's Twitter account had been classified asNSFW due to West postingpornographic material, resulting in ashadowban. Subsequently, West's account was temporarily deactivated.[191][205] On February 19, he tweeted, "After further reflection I've come to the realization that I'm not a Nazi".[206] The sincerity of the statement was questioned by Joe Price ofComplex.[204] On February 28, he was seen walking around Los Angeles with a swastika t-shirt on.[207] On March 6, West said that his upcoming album would have "that antisemitic sound".[208][209][210] On March 15, he once again identified as a Nazi.[211] On March 16, he tweeted images of a Nazi swastika and theSS runes of theSchutzstaffel, claiming them as his "new album cover" and "newSunday Service Choir logo", respectively.[212] On March 17, he posted a now deleted video of him withNick Fuentes on X while wearing a chain with a swastika pendant. In the video, West called Fuentes "my white supremacist homeboy".[213]
Antisemitic songs and lyrics: "WW3", "Heil Hitler", andIn a Perfect World
On March 15, West uploaded a new song to his X account dubbed "WW3" which featured a set of lines going "They telling me that I'm a bully, I'm antisemitic fully. They sayin' I'm acting like Hitler, but how am I acting like Hitler? When I'm a fucking nigger." "WW3" was later released on streaming services under a new recording alias, "Ye". On March 30, West joined blogger and Internet personalityDJ Akademiks for an interview.[214] In the interview, West donned a black outfit inspired by theKu Klux Klan and continued to make antisemitic remarks.[214][215]
On April 3, West teased a new album titledWW3. On thetracklist, there was the previously mentioned title track, as well as two new songs; "Heil Hitler" and "Hitler Ye and Jesus".[214] West has stated that the album was written by fellow rapperDave Blunts. On April 21, West said he changed the album name toCuck.[216] On April 30, West appeared on live-streaming platform Parti with streamersSneako and N30N. On this stream, West previewed a new song called "Heil Hitler." The song alludes to West referring to himself once again as a Nazi, and alluding to the reason that he either adopted or began to be open with his ideology is due to his inability to see his children. Lyrics include "With all of the money and fame I still don't get to see my children..." "...So I became a Nazi yea, bitch I'm the villain." "Nigga Heil Hitler, they don't understand the things I say on Twitter, all my niggas Nazis, nigga Heil Hitler." On May 7, Sneako and DJ Akademiks live-streamed together where they previewed the music video for "Heil Hitler".[216] The video features 32 dark-skinned models, some donned with animal skins chanting the lyrics of the song. The video closes with an excerpt of a 1935 speech from Adolf Hitler himself, given at theKrupp Factory inEssen.[217][218] A previous version of the song is quoted as referencing rapperDrake as a "faggot", which has been referred to as adiss: "Niggas be acting like faggots so much, I think they might be Drake."[219]
On May 22, 2025, West tweeted that he was "done with antisemitism" following aFaceTime call with his children. He asked God to "forgive me for the pain I've caused" and said that he forgave those who caused him pain,[220] though some questioned the sincerity of his apology.[221]Vibe wrote that it was unclear if this "reflect[ed] genuine growth or an attempt at image repair".[222] On May 31, he re-uploaded "Heil Hitler" as "Hallelujah", which replaces references to Nazism with lyrics relating to Christianity.[223] On June 22, West announced that he would be changing his album's name fromCukkk toIn a Perfect World.[224]
In an interview withVladTV, Blunts claimed that West had moved on from antisemitic rhetoric, stating that, "he's not on that anymore, he's doing better now."[225]
On November 6, 2025, West met with the Israeli-MoroccanOrthodox rabbiYoshiyahu Yosef Pinto to apologize and take accountability for his antisemitic statements.[226][227] He said his antisemitism was influenced by his struggles withbipolar disorder, which he said would "take [my ideas] to an extreme where I would forget about the protection of the people around me, or myself".[226] Pinto forgave West and praised him for taking steps towards accountability.[227]
Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla Sign expressed support for West.[228][229] Jacob L. Freedman, a Jewish psychiatrist and researcher, wrote forAish.com that the meeting was a meaningful first step and encouraged West to "publicly state what steps he plans on taking to ensure that he will not repeat his mistakes... beyond apologizing and seeking to repair the damage done, he should focus on being a positive force by taking steps to publicly fight against antisemitism".[230] On November 13,HotNewHipHop reported that West had been reaching out to Jewish former collaborators to apologize and was orderingYouTube copyright strikes on "Heil Hitler".[231]
^Schaffstall, Katherine (October 25, 2010)."Kanye West Unveils New 'Jesus Is King' Album; Talks "Cancel Culture" and "Christian Innovation"".The Hollywood Reporter.Archived from the original on October 29, 2019. RetrievedOctober 29, 2019.He also took a stand for what he sees as the country taking religion out of everyday life, and attributes this to "woke" culture. "Who told you that my career would be over? The same people who are telling you that you can't have a right to say who you would vote for, those same people will be soon to take Jesus out of school. Those people will be soon to remove Jesus, period, from America, which is the Bible Belt," he said.
^"Inside Kanye West's Vision for the Future".GQ. April 15, 2020.Archived from the original on April 15, 2020. RetrievedApril 15, 2020.No, I'm definitely voting this time. And we know who I'm voting on. And I'm not going to be told by the people around me and the people that have their agenda that my career is going to be over.
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