Kanye West, legally known as Ye, seems to have sparked controversy once again after airing a Super Bowl LIX (Super Bowl 59) advertisement in which he promotes his Yeezy.com website, which currently has a white swastika shirt for sale at $20.
The advertisement ran during one of the most viewed events in America and asked the audience to visit Ye’s newly set up website, which, surprise surprise, didn’t have anything else except the “HH-01” shirt—which, for those out of the loop, refers to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) conjecture that it stands for ‘Heil Hitler’.
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Backlash and StopAntisemitism’s Response
In response, StopAntisemitism called for an immediate removal of Yeezy’s Shopify site, arguing that the website promotes violence and hate speech.
Liora Rez, executive director of StopAntisemitism, commented:
“This is not just a fashion statement. This is hate speech masked as commerce, and no entity should be reaping profits from it.”
Kanye West’s History of Antisemitic Remarks
This recent issue is only one of an endless stream of inflammatory actions and statements made by Kanye West.
Recently, Ye has:
- Publicly exclaimed his admiration for Adolf Hitler during interviews.
- Expressed that he “loves Nazis” while on Alex Jones’ Infowars.
- Lost several major business contracts, including deals with Adidas, Balenciaga, and GAP, after going on antisemitic rants.
- Remained adamant in his conspiracy claims that Jewish individuals are responsible for controlling the world’s finances.
These comments led him to be banned from social media platforms and received widespread condemnation.
Social Media Reaction and Elon Musk’s Response
After the Super Bowl advertisement, Kanye West’s account on X (formerly known as Twitter) was marked NSFW by Elon Musk, meaning the content was too offensive for the public, which lowered the visibility of the account.
A few hours after this action was undertaken, Ye wiped out his account, effectively taking himself off the platform.
Musk had already reinstated Kanye’s account after previous suspensions ordered by moderators. However, he commented that this move wasn’t a full ban, just a way to control hate speech.
This decision has created a heated discussion as to whether these platforms should continue permitting someone who undermines Jews’ reputation to such a degree.
Industry and Public Backlash
Some groups have gone a step further, and the backlash is not limited to advocacy groups only. A variety of celebrities, influencers, and former business partners have condemned Ye’s latest publicity stunt.
- After severing ties with Kanye back in 2022 due to his antisemitic remarks, Adidas has come forth to condemn hate speech and affirm their inclusivity stance.
- There is renewed scrutiny on Apple Music and Spotify to have Kanye West’s music removed from their catalogs.
- Some fashion retailers who previously stocked Yeezy products have withdrawn from the market entirely, some vowing to permanently remove his items from their stores.
What Happens Next?
In response to the controversy, Kanye West is yet to make any public comments, and as it stands, he has no plans to delete his Yeezy page, which features his products, including a shirt with a swastika printed on it.
Under the current climate of outrage, it is likely that payment processors and hosting services will be de-platforming the website.
Even with considerable antagonism directed his way, Kanye West controversially continues to provoke further controversy, which makes it hard to predict what lies ahead for his career and brand.
Concluding Remarks
Kanye West has demonstrated a level of antisemitic marketing that is incredibly blatant and astonishing in its insensitivity.
This further distances him from fans, brands, and colleagues in the industry.
While some claim that Ye is just trying to gain attention through shock value, his pattern of hate-filled speech is extremely worrisome in regards to where the mainstream media is heading.
