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Michael Kuenne

Kanye West: From Jew Hater to Grammy Guest

Kanye West, Photo: David Shakbone
Kanye West, Photo: David Shakbone

If the Grammys are all about glitter and glamour, you would think of the celebration of music talents, the night of artistry. Yet, the sight that overshadowed the night of 2025 was really disturbing: Kanye West, now Ye, walking up the red carpet with his wife, Bianca Censori.

How could this be the same man who, within recent memory, had gained notoriety for his antisemitic rhetoric and begged the question in many people’s minds: how did we get here, how can the music industry continue to turn a blind eye to such blatant bigotry?

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In a 2013 interview on The Breakfast Club, West insinuated that Black people don’t have the same financial networking that Jewish people do, reinforcing the very negative stereotypes about Jewish wealth and influence. He would later try to clarify his comments, stating they were meant to be complimentary, but the damage was done.

The world watched in shock as West tweeted, “I’m going death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE.” This wasn’t just a careless remark; it was a direct threat, a chilling declaration that sent ripples of fear and outrage through the Jewish community.

In a disturbing interview with Alex Jones on InfoWars, West openly praised Adolf Hitler, denied the Holocaust, and professed love for Nazis. Such abhorrent statements echo the darkest chapters of history and have no place in modern discourse. West didn’t stop at generalizations.

He singled out individuals like Jared Kushner, accusing him of brokering Middle East peace deals for financial gain, a classic antisemitic trope. He ranted about a “Jewish Underground Media Mafia,” perpetuating dangerous conspiracy theories about Jewish control.

Brands like Adidas, Gap, and Balenciaga severed ties with West. His talent agency, CAA, dropped him, and his social media accounts faced temporary suspensions. It seemed the industry was taking a stand. Under Elon Musk’s leadership, West’s Twitter account was reinstated. Adidas CEO Bjørn Gulden downplayed West’s remarks, suggesting he didn’t mean them and wasn’t a “bad person.”

West’s appearance at the Grammys was a slap in the face to all who oppose hate speech. Words have power. West’s antisemitic tirades have emboldened hate groups, leading to real-world consequences.

Antisemitism has no place for tolerance or excuses. Platforms and accolades should be reserved for those who uplift and inspire, not for purveyors of hate. The time has come to show that antisemitism has no place in our society and that those who espouse it will suffer lasting consequences.

About the Author
Michael Kuenne works as a journalist on antisemitism, extremism, and rising threats to Jewish life. His reporting continually sheds light on the dangers that come from within radical ideologies and institutional complicity, and where Western democracies have failed in confronting the new rise of Jew-hatred with the due urgency it does call for. With hard-hitting commentary and muckraking reporting, Kuenne exposed how the antisemitic narratives shape policymaking, dictate public discourse, and fuel hate toward Israel. His writings have appeared in a number of international media outlets, including The Times of Israel Blogs. Kuenne has become a voice heard for blunt advocacy in regard to Israel's right to self-defense, critiquing ill-conceived humanitarian policies serving only to empower terror, while demanding a moral clarity which seems beyond most Western leaders. With a deep commitment to historical truth, he has covered the resurgence of Holocaust distortion in political rhetoric, the dangerous normalization of antisemitic conspiracies in mainstream culture, and false equivalencies drawn between Israel's actions and the crimes of its enemies. His reporting dismantles sanitized language that whitens the record of extremism and insists on calling out antisemitism-whether from the far right, the far left, or Islamist movements, without fear or hesitation.
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