Rapper and former billionaire Kanye West unleashed a barrage of tweets overnight into Friday on the social media platform X, sparking controversy with his diverse and inflammatory remarks. Among them, he demanded the immediate release of music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs from federal prison, whom Combs faces sex trafficking charges and accusations of sexual assault from numerous individuals. West also made the outrageous claim of exercising "dominion" over his wife, Bianca Censori, and engaged in a series of antisemitic postings, heaping praise on Hitler and expressing mistrust towards Jewish people.
West, who had already lost his lucrative Yeezy partnership with Adidas and several other collaborations due to his antisemitic tirades on Twitter and Instagram years ago, made it clear on X that he "would never apologize for his Jewish comments." His posts contained numerous remarks about Jewish individuals and the Holocaust, such as "I LOVE HITLER NOW WHAT BITCHES," "IM A NAZI," "Hitler was so fresh," and "I aim to normalize discussions about Hitler in the same manner that talking about killing blacks has become normalized."
One particularly jarring tweet read, "I LOVE WHEN JEWISH PEOPLE COME TO ME AND SAY THEY CAN'T WORK WITH ME ANYMORE—IT'S MY FAVORITE," seemingly referencing the numerous business deals he had lost over similar previous comments, which also affected his relationships with Balenciaga, Gap, Foot Locker, Creative Artists Agency, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and two law firms. He was even labeled the "Antisemite of the Year" by the watchdog group StopAntisemitism.
Among the tweets, spanning a ten-hour period, West also commented on Combs's plight. West had previously caused a stir at the Grammy Awards by walking the red carpet with Censori, who wore a completely sheer dress that left little to the imagination. This fashion choice sparked heated online debates, with some viewing it as an empowering artistic statement and others seeing it as a degrading form of coercion orchestrated by West.
On Friday, West declared, "I HAVE DOMINION OVER MY WIFE—THIS AIN'T NO WOKE FEMINIST BS." He clarified that wearing the dress was Censori's decision and that he wouldn't force her into doing anything she didn't want to do. However, he added that she "definitely wouldn't have been able to do it without my approval."
On Friday, the American Jewish Committee issued a scathing statement condemning West's remarks, urging fellow entertainment industry figures to renounce his "blatant hatred." The organization emphasized, "At a moment when antisemitism is soaring to alarming heights globally, Ye is actively jeopardizing the safety of Jews." Adding to this chorus of disapproval was billionaire Elon Musk, owner of X, who has faced his own controversies over perceived antisemitic behavior. In agreement with an X user who labeled West's posts as "deranged," Musk remarked, "So many such issues could be resolved by simply taking personal responsibility."
Meanwhile, CyberWell, a nonprofit dedicated to combating online antisemitism and Holocaust denial, pointed out that West's tirade exemplified how social media companies were "systematically watering down the enforcement of their own digital policies."
Earlier this week, West revealed that he had been newly diagnosed with autism, following a decade-long misdiagnosis of bipolar disorder. During an appearance on the podcast "The Download," he attributed some of his eccentric public behavior to autism, a neurological and developmental condition that he said could make him stubborn and contentious, echoing the title of his hit song "Can't Tell Me Nothing." West further disclosed that he had ceased taking medication prescribed for his bipolar disorder, claiming it stifled his creativity.
The post that ignited West's most recent outbreak consisted solely of the words "FREE PUFF," a reference to Combs. He subsequently appealed to President Donald Trump in another post, pleading, "@realDonaldTrump PLEASE FREE MY BROTHER PUFF," and accusing prosecutors of "TRYING TO MAKE AN EXAMPLE OUT OF PUFF." Combs, who has been known by various monikers including Puff Daddy, Puffy, and P. Diddy throughout his career, was arrested and imprisoned in September on charges of sex trafficking and racketeering. Prosecutors alleged that he "abused, threatened, and coerced women and others around him to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation, and conceal his conduct." He is also grappling with numerous individual lawsuits filed by both women and men who claim they were sexually assaulted by the music mogul in incidents dating back to the 1990s. Combs has categorically denied all accusations against him.
On Friday, West announced a collaboration between his fashion line Yeezy and Combs' Sean John brand. A variety of shirts featuring the Sean John logo are now available for purchase on the Yeezy website, priced at $20 each. West stated that the profits would be split evenly between him and Combs, adding, "I JUST FOUND OUT THAT PUFF IS NOT ALLOWED TO MAKE OR COLLECT MONEY WHILE HE’S LOCKED UP SO I’MA SEND HIS HALF OF THE MONEY TO JUSTIN." However, the identity of the individual referred to as "JUSTIN" remains unclear.
