Kanye West Sparks Outrage With Antisemitic Rant

As I reported for The Times of Israel Blogs back on February 3, 2025, the music industry has continued to fail when it comes to taking a strong stance against antisemitism. I had, at the time, written in about the troubling red carpet Grammys appearance made by Kanye West, who’s now known as Ye, notwithstanding his years-long history of making antisemitic remarks.

The world sat in collective disbelief for a world once claiming to be the bastion of moral conscience as this same artist, proudly praising Hitler and denying the Holocaust, touting dangerous conspiracy theories about Jewish control of media, was not only being accepted but also celebrated in the highest circles of the entertainment industry.

I wonder, as I did then: How did we get here? How does the industry continue to allow bigotry through the front door while allowing those who spew hate to return to the limelight like nothing happened? Words matter. Ye’s antisemitic tirades certainly gave rise to haters; the real-world consequences are still ongoing. The backlash faded, corporate interests took over, and moral responsibility was once again ignored.

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And here we go again. Like déjà vu of the worst possible kind, in the pre-dawn hours, he stirred up his next controversy, this time barreling on to social media with a spree of antisemitic posts to once again push Kanye West to the front burner. West had widely praised Adolf Hitler in a series of posts on X, formerly known as Twitter, referred to himself as a Nazi, and doubled down on prior antisemitic rhetoric. The comments have revived widespread condemnation and amplified calls for social media platforms and businesses to cut ties with him for good.

West’s latest tirade included comments such as “I LOVE HITLER NOW WHAT B*****S” and “I’M A NAZI,” alongside statements asserting that Jewish people “can’t be trusted.” He boasted about his refusal to apologize for previous antisemitic remarks, writing, “NEVER APOLOGIZING FOR MY JEWISH COMMENTS.”

These newest comments are only the latest in a long legacy of antisemitic rhetoric by West. In 2022, his remarks concerning Jewish influence in the media and finance saw him lose some big business partnerships such as Adidas, Balenciaga, and GAP.

Meanwhile, despite facing huge financial consequences, West continues to promote his hate-filled ideology and an image of a provocateur who enjoys living on scandals. Jewish organizations and human rights advocates immediately condemned the latest statements and called for serious action in that respect.

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But beyond that, some advocacy groups are calling on companies still tied up with West to sever ties with him finally. Though many did after his initial antisemitic remarks back in 2022, the way he has been able to make some kind of comeback and continue to use his platform has begged a number of questions about corporate accountability.

West’s comments also reignited debates about celebrities’ role in shaping public discourse and the entertainment industry’s responsibility to address hate speech. A segment of his fan base and some far-right groups have amplified his rhetoric, raising fears his statements could lead to real-world violence and antisemitic attacks.

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West’s actions come amid an uptick in antisemitism around the world. Antisemitic incidents in the US have reached record highs, powered by online hate speech and conspiracy theories, according to the ADL annual report. How he has consistently remained within the mainstream despite the repeated antisemitic remarks puts into question hard answers about a society that seeks accountability from people in power.

To many in the Jewish community, West’s tirades are not just offensive but dangerous. The memory of the Holocaust remains fresh among survivors and their descendants, and to see a global icon use his platform to normalize admiration for Hitler is painful. What Comes Next?

There is an increasing chorus for social media platforms, record labels, and brands to take serious action against West. While a number of his endorsements have faded, the fact he can still be relevant and make money off controversy shows the complexity of both cancel culture and corporate ethics.

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Kanye West’s latest antisemitic outburst was a sobering reminder of how much work is left to be done to combat hate speech. Unchecked, his words threaten to empower many others like him who harbor similar sentiments. The question now remains whether society will finally take a stand, or continue to allow West to spew his hate unchecked.