American rapper Kanye “Ye” West posted a series of antisemitic remarks on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), calling himself “a Nazi” and describing Adolf Hitler as “fresh,” on Friday.
Newsweek reached out to the Anti-Defamation League, StopAntisemitism, and X’s press teams for comment via email on Friday.
Why It Matters
Ye has a documented history of hate speech, particularly targeting Jewish people.
He was previously suspended from X (then Twitter) for violating the platform’s rules prohibiting incitement to violence. One post in December 2022 showed an image of a swastika blended with a Star of David.
The music star returned to the platform eight months later.
What To Know
On Friday, Ye posted a series of antisemitic comments praising Hitler, saying in one: “I’m going to normalize talking about hitler they way talking about killing n***** has been normalized.”
Other posts include calling Hitler “sooooo fresh” and writing, “I LOVE HITLER.” In another post, he said: “I CAN SAY JEW AS MUCH AS I WANT I CAN SAY HITLER AS MUCH AS I WANT MATTER FACT I DO SAY IT WHEN I WANT.”
He also called out billionaire Elon Musk, owner of the social media platform and head of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), for a gesture at President Donald Trump‘s inauguration last month that many people said resembled a Nazi salute, writing, “ELON STOLE MY NAZI SWAG AT THE INAUGURATION YOOOO MY GUY GET YOUR OWN THIRD RALE.”
Elyse Jankowski/Sipa USA
As of Friday, West has 32.4 million followers on the social media platform, with some of his posts seen by over 15 million users already.
In addition to antisemitic posts, West also made other offensive remarks, writing “SLAVERY IS A CHOICE” and “ALL WHITE PEOPLE ARE RACIST,” as well as saying “I HAVE DOMINION OVER MY WIFE.” He is married to Bianca Censori.
In December 2023, Ye issued an apology to the Jewish community on his Instagram after making offensive comment at an event in Las Vegas, writing in Hebrew: “I sincerely apologize to the Jewish community for any unintended outburst caused by my words or actions. It was not my intention to offend or demean, and I deeply regret any pain I may have caused.”
What People Are Saying
The Anti-Defamation League wrote in an X post on Friday: “Another egregious display of antisemitism, racism and misogyny from @kanyewest on his X account this morning. Just a few years ago, ADL found that 30 antisemitic incidents nationwide were tied to Kanye’s 2022 antisemitic rants. We condemn this dangerous behavior and need to call it what it is: a flagrant and unequivocal display of hate.”
Representative Ritchie Torres, a New York Democrat, wrote in an X post on Friday: “Kanye West descends deeper and deeper into the abyss of antisemitism. Yet he continues to be invited to the Grammys as if he had done nothing wrong. West should be ostracized for his rabid antisemitism.”
Shaun Maguire, a partner at the VC firm Sequoia Capital who donated $300,000 to Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, wrote in an Friday X post: “Woke up this morning to another Kanye attention-seeking meltdown. I debated whether to fuel his ego by posting (or not) but in the end I think it’s important people know where he stands. Anyone who says ‘I’m a Nazi’ or ‘I love Hitler’ is deranged. Ye, I hope you get help.”
Liora Rez, founder and executive director of advocacy group StopAntisemitism said in a statement to Newsweek on Friday: “Kanye West is dangerous not just for his rhetoric but for his influence. Two years ago, he spoke of waking up and violently unleashing against Jews—since then, neo-Nazis have embraced him as a leader, spreading his hate. In a post-10/7 world, global antisemitic violence is at levels unseen since Nazi Germany. Some say ignoring him is best, but Jews are done ignoring threats. The only solution is for Mr. West to seek mental help and for platforms to stop amplifying his hate. Free speech is a right, not a weapon to be abused.”
What Happens Next
It is unclear if Musk will re-suspend Ye following his latest series of offensive posts. Several of his morning posts have a warning to users of “visibility limited” as they “may violate X’s rules against Hateful Conduct.”
Update 2/7/25 11:40 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
Update 2/7/25 12:10 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
