Kanye West has come under fire for his recent anti-Semitic remarks, most recently declared Antisemite of the Year by the watchdog group StopAntisemitism. In a recent BBC documentary, The Trouble With KanYe, West was recorded making statements that Jewish people were “holding him back”.
West’s anti-Semitic comments began when he tweeted he was going to go “death con 3 [sic] On JEWISH PEOPLE” back in October 2022. Since then, West has made several controversial statements which have resulted in the loss of brand deals with Balenciaga, Adidas, and GAP, and the rescinding of his honorary degree from The School Of The Art Institute Of Chicago.
West has also had his social media accounts suspended multiple times, most recently from Clubhouse after claiming Jewish people “are used by the Chinese” to control Black people. In response to the backlash, West recently declared he “likes Jewish people again” after watching Jonah Hill in 21 Jump Street.
West’s ex-wife Kim Kardashian commented on the situation, saying she couldn’t “force her beliefs” on the rapper. Adidas have since donated the proceeds from remaining stocks of West’s Yeezy shoes to organisations fighting anti-Semitism.
The new BBC documentary The Trouble With KanYe is an exploration of “the complex journey that led Ye to become one of the most famous and creatively successful artists of his generation, but more recently, to condemnation and notoriety”, including his descent into anti-Semitism.
The documentary features various interviews with people who have interacted with West, including tech entrepreneur Alex Klein, who worked on West’s last album ‘Donda 2’. Klein said West had told him he was “exactly like the other Jews,” and when Klein asked him if he really believed that all Jews were working together to hold him back, West answered: “Yes.”
Kanye West’s descent into anti-Semitism has resulted in a huge backlash from many figures in the entertainment world, as well as several political figures and organisations that represent Jewish communities. It remains to be seen whether West will be able to recover from the controversy and reclaim his status as one of the most famous and successful artists of his generation.
Leave a Reply