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

BREAKING: VERA ICON BRENDA BLETHYN LEAVES FANS STUNNED WITH SHOCK ITV COMEBACK Just when we thought the queen of crime drama was DONE… Brenda Blethyn is making a jaw-dropping return to ITV! Fans are in total disbelief as the iconic Vera star announces her surprise comeback, leaving viewers on edge. What does this mean for Vera? Is it a new chapter or the end of an era? 👉 FULL STORY & SURPRISE DETAILS IN THE COMMENTS 👇

Brenda Blethyn, the iconic face of ITV’s global smash hit Vera, has sent shockwaves through the entertainment world by revealing she almost flat-out rejected her next major role following her…

Fɑns ɑre in shock ɑs George Clɑrke is seen rushing to the hospitɑl just dɑys ɑfter supporting his mother on Strictly. Whɑt’s reɑlly going on? WATCH NOW

Strictly Come Dancing star George Clarke has been left reeling after his cancer-stricken mother Nicky suffered a sudden and terrifying health setback, just days after travelling to…

REVEALED: The “Phantom” Red Light and the Split-Second Misjudgment That Condemned Lewis Hamilton to Last Place in Las Vegas

Under the dazzling neon glow of the Las Vegas Strip, a city synonymous with high stakes and gambling, Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari took a gamble that backfired…

When Hollywood Meets Horsepower: The Day F1 Drivers Broke the World’s Biggest Stars

In the high-octane world of Formula 1, speed is a religion, and the drivers are its high priests. For the millions of fans watching from the safety…

“I Have No Explanation”: Verstappen Baffled by Piastri’s “Bizarre” Collapse as Norris Seizes Control

In the high-octane world of Formula 1, momentum is everything. It is the invisible force that turns contenders into legends and champions into forgotten footnotes. But rarely…

Hamilton’s Las Vegas Catastrophe: The Radio Meltdown, The “Invisible” Cone, and The Broken Trust That Left a Legend Dead Last

The neon lights of the Las Vegas Strip were supposed to illuminate a spectacle of speed and glamour, a crowning jewel in the 2025 Formula 1 calendar….