Washington (AFP) – A new song by rapper Kanye West glorifying Nazi leader Adolf Hitler has racked up millions of views on Elon Musk’s X platform, after it was banned by other sites such as YouTube. West — the winner of 24 Grammys over the course of his career in hip-hop — in recent years has made repeated anti-Semitic and pro-Nazi statements. “Heil Hitler” was released on May 8 by the 47-year-old artist who now prefers to go by Ye — the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. As of Saturday, the video had been seen nearly 10 million times.
In the clip, dozens of Black men — wearing animal pelts and masks, and standing in a block formation — chant the title of the song, as West raps about being misunderstood and his custody battle with ex-wife Kim Kardashian. The song ends with an extract of a speech by the Nazi dictator. NBC News cited a YouTube spokesperson as saying: “We removed the content and will continue to take down reuploads.” Reddit also told NBC that it would remove any versions of the song from its platform, with a spokesperson adding: “Hate and anti-Semitism have absolutely no place on Reddit.” The song has also been removed from streaming platforms Spotify and Apple Music.
Since Musk purchased Twitter (now X) in 2022, he has allowed hate speech and disinformation on the site, positioning himself as a champion of free speech. But critics say the Tesla and SpaceX chief is amplifying those who share his political beliefs. Musk has become a close ally of President Donald Trump, and donated $277 million to support Trump and other Republican candidates in the 2024 election. X did not immediately respond to a request for comment from AFP.
In February, West’s X account was deactivated after a days-long rant that included vitriolic, anti-Semitic outbursts. He also repeatedly referred to himself as a “Nazi.” Also in February, the website of his Yeezy fashion brand was taken offline after plain white T-shirts with a swastika went on sale. The rapper had been locked out of social media platforms in the past, notably when he was banned from X for nearly eight months for violating rules barring incitement to violence. Adidas cut ties with West in 2022 after allegations of anti-Semitism against him. The partnership was one of the most successful sportswear tie-ups in history, and the resulting Yeezy range went on to help make West a billionaire. As of Saturday, Forbes put his net worth at $400 million.
For years, West has spoken openly about struggles with bipolar disorder. He has said on “The Download” podcast that he has been diagnosed with autism.
© 2024 AFP
