The rapper has made a variety of antisemitic statements over the years and has lost major brand deals because of it.
Kanye West has apologized to « the Jewish community » for a series of antisemitic remarks he made in 2022, but people are skeptical that he is being genuine.
West—who has changed his name to Ye—rose to fame as an outspoken hip-hop producer and has become one of the most prolific rappers of all time. He soon turned his hand to fashion, creating a lucrative line called Yeezys with sportswear brand Adidas.
Among the controversial statements deemed to be antisemitic that West has made is a post he wrote in October 2022 on X, formerly Twitter, where he said he was « going death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE … You guys have toyed with me and tried to black ball anyone whoever opposes your agenda. » The post has since been deleted.
Now the 46-year-old has issued an apology in Hebrew on his Instagram page. He wrote to his 18.2m followers: « I sincerely apologize to the Jewish community … It was not my intention to hurt or demean, and I deeply regret any pain I may have caused. I am committed to starting with myself and learning from this experience to ensure greater sensitivity and understanding in the future. Your forgiveness is important to me, and I am committed to making amends and promoting unity. »
People online have shared their thoughts on his statement, with many not believing it to be legitimate. They have also criticized him for not taking back his original comments.