US rap star Kanye West apologizes for anti-Semitism

Kanye West has been kicked off Twitter for incitement to violence
+1

Kanye West has been kicked off Twitter for incitement to violence

US rapper Kanye West apologized to the Jewish community Tuesday, after a series of anti-Semitic comments that sparked outrage and led to the star being dropped from lucrative commercial deals and banned from social media.

The reason for the timing of the mea culpa was unclear — West’s most high profile outbursts came more than a year ago — although his next album, “Vultures,” is due out in two weeks.

“I sincerely apologize to the Jewish community for any unintended outburst caused by my words or actions. It was not my intention to hurt or disrespect, and I deeply regret any pain I may have caused,” he said in a statement written in Hebrew on his Instagram page.

“I am committed to starting with myself and learning from this experience to ensure greater sensitivity and understanding in the future.”

Several of the comments below the statement complained that it was written in Hebrew, which comparatively few people can read.

West, who now goes professionally by Ye, has shocked and alarmed fans with a series of threats against Jewish people that drove sportswear giant Adidas and other fashion houses to dump him, and saw him locked out of most social media platforms.

The 46-year-old one-time titan of fashion and music has made declarations of “love” for Nazis and voiced his admiration for Adolf Hitler.

West posted an image to social media site X in 2022 that appeared to show a swastika interlaced with a Star of David, and was suspended by the platform’s owner Elon Musk, who accused the artist of “incitement to violence.”

The “Gold Digger” rapper said in March that he was renouncing anti-Semitism after watching actor Jonah Hill in the film “21 Jump Street” — in a performance that made him “like Jewish people again.”

West’s apology comes at a time of rising concern in the United States over a normalization of anti-Semitic discourse — increasingly co-opted by a white supremacist fringe that was emboldened under the presidency of Donald Trump.

The chart-topper took part in an unhinged interview last year with conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes, in which he ranted about the devil, professed his “love” of the Nazis and declared “I like Hitler.”

The Anti-Defamation League welcomed Tuesday’s apology but noted that West had caused “untold damage” by using his vast influence to “poison countless minds with vicious antisemitism and hate.”

Related Posts

Hamilton’s Defiant “Bombshell” Stuns Paddock as Ferrari Limps From Brazil Disaster to Vegas Showdown

The Dust Settles on Disaster In the high-octane world of Formula 1, silence is often the loudest sound of all. It is usually the sound that follows…

The Velvet Vow: Kate Middleton’s Emerald Gown Marks Triumphant Return to Public Life

The Royal Albert Hall, London, is a stage accustomed to spectacle, but on the evening of the Royal Variety Performance, the most captivating performance occurred before the…

Neon Nights and Title Fights: Tensions Boil Over as F1 Stars Ignite Las Vegas for the Ultimate Showdown

The air in the Nevada desert is usually dry, but today, it is thick with an electricity that has nothing to do with the millions of neon…

The Prodigy’s Paradox: How Kimi Antonelli Survived a Mid-Season Collapse to Prove He Is Formula 1’s Next Superstar

By the time the Formula 1 paddock arrived in Europe, the whispers had already started. Kimi Antonelli, the 18-year-old sensation fast-tracked straight into a Mercedes seat, was…

Red Bull’s Radical 2026 Gamble: The “Double Push Rod” Revolution That Could Redefine F1 Dominance

The secretive veil covering the future of Formula 1 is finally beginning to lift. As the sport hurtles toward the massive regulatory overhaul of 2026, the paddock…

Civil War at Maranello: Jenson Button Detonates Truth Bomb After Ferrari President’s Brutal Attack on Drivers

The high-octane world of Formula 1 is never short of drama, but the recent explosion of tension within the hallowed walls of Ferrari has left the entire…