The Most Problematic And Shocking Things Kanye West Has Ever Done

He's a rapper and fashion designer, but outside of his career pursuits, Kanye West is also well-known for causing controversy. Over the years, fans of Ye have followed everything from his feud with Taylor Swift to some of his eyebrow-raising remarks about his ex-wife, Kim Kardashian. Though it's been clear for quite a while that Ye isn't one to hold back any personal opinions, the artist's behavior has not only hindered the public's view of him, but it's also gotten West into some serious trouble.

Still, some of West's antics have been attributed to the "Life of Pablo" rapper's mental health issues, which were reaffirmed in 2020 when Kardashian addressed his Twitter rants on her Instagram story. However, his diagnosis didn't stop the public or the media from remarking on his troubling actions.

Though fans of West have tried to focus on the numerous contributions Ye has made to both the music and fashion industry, his behavior has ultimately forced some of his followers to admit that his actions have been truly disappointing. But, of course, even with diehard fans of the "Donda" artist acknowledging that some of Ye's actions have been genuinely disturbing, many of them would be hard-pressed to remember the current running tally of all the problematic things Kanye West has ever done.

Even those who aren't fans of Kanye West or Taylor Swift are aware of the infamous moment when Ye stormed the VMAs stage and crashed Swift's acceptance speech. For those who don't remember the specifics of Ye's antics, the event occurred back in 2009 when Swift won the best female video award during the annual ceremony.

Unsatisfied with the results, West unexpectedly took the stage and grabbed the microphone away from Swift, saying, "Yo Taylor, I'm really happy for you, I'm a let you finish, but Beyoncé had one of the best videos of all time! One of the best videos of all time!" As he said this, the camera panned to the "Single Ladies" songstress who looked unsurprisingly shocked by the display, but, of course, the embarrassment was even worse for the "Red" artist.

The backlash was severe, and even President Obama called West a "jacka**" for his behavior, per The Guardian. The two artists would eventually make peace with the incident and seemingly put West's outburst behind them. However, the white flag wouldn't last for long, and eventually, their feud would reignite. Even worse, West stated in a 2020 interview for Nick Cannon's "Cannon's Class" that he stood by his actions, saying that his behavior was a result of a higher power: "If God ain't want me to run on stage and say Beyoncé had the best video, he wouldn't have sat me in the front row." 

While there's always the chance that something unplanned and unwanted will end up on live television, this particular moment was still genuinely surprising. In 2005, NBC hosted "A Concert for Hurricane Relief" for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. According to the Chicago Tribune, the event included many well-known celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio, Harry Connick Jr., Lindsay Lohan, and, of course, Kanye West. When it was time for West to speak alongside comedian and actor Mike Myers, Ye decided to ignore the teleprompter and offered a new, unplanned speech instead. After initially reflecting on how the media portrays Black individuals, Myers spoke briefly before West memorably stated on national television, "George Bush doesn't care about Black people."

According to People, West would later defend his words on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," saying he was always "brutally honest." His statement also got the support of Jay-Z and Reverend Al Sharpton, who cited the right to free speech. However, Entertainment Weekly would later state that not everyone was a fan, saying that President George W. Bush told Matt Lauer in a special that he didn't "appreciate" West's opinion: "It was one of the most disgusting moments in my presidency." Later, in 2018, West would again address the incident, with People reporting that the Yeezy designer claimed, "I was very emotional and I was programmed to think from a victimized mentality. Of a welfare mentality."

The initial bad blood between Kanye West and Taylor Swift initially started back in 2009 when Ye interrupted the "Blank Space" singer's acceptance speech at the VMAs. However, as noted by Billboard, things between the artists had reportedly smoothed out by 2012, and in 2015, Swift spoke positively about her relationship with West in an interview with Vanity Fair. She said, "Kanye and I both reached a place where he would say really nice things about my music and what I've accomplished, and I could ask him how his [kids are] doing."

Unfortunately, by 2016, Ye and Swift's feud reignited after West released the song "Famous." In a statement to Billboard, a rep for Swift stated that West never made her aware of the now-infamous lyric: "I made that b***h famous." The argument centered around what really happened during the phone call West made to Swift regarding the song before its release, as West claimed Swift had heard and approved of the lyric beforehand. Even Kim Kardashian got involved and defended her then-husband. Eventually, the entire call (which previously had only been partially heard) was leaked in 2020 (via Rolling Stone). The call revealed that Swift had not been aware of the lyric, seemingly bringing a much-needed end to the conflict between the two artists.

Being a controversial figure himself, perhaps it comes as no surprise that Kanye West is no stranger to getting involved with and defending controversial celebrities. In 2021, West decided it was a good idea to bring Marilyn Manson and DaBaby (both of whom were facing sexual assault and anti-gay allegations at the time) onstage for his "Donda" listening event, as noted by BuzzFeed News. In the aftermath of the occurrence, fans took to social media to share their reactions, many of which were not positive. While some stated direct criticism — like one tweet that read, "Wait so Kanye has DaBaby and Marilyn Manson on the stage with him? A homophobe and an alleged abuser?!? I cannot." — others suggested it was Ye's way of addressing cancel culture.

West's performance with Manson and DaBaby was not the first time he was called out for connecting himself to controversial celebrities. Back in 2016, Ye sparked outrage when he tweeted (via CNN), "BILL COSBY INNOCENT !!!!!!!!!!" Everyone from entertainers to everyday fans shared their disappointment with West's statement. Stars like Sarah Silverman took to Twitter, saying that, based on the facts surrounding the Cosby situation, his tweet "can't be for real." At the same time, Billy Eichner offered a possible explanation for Ye's antics with this question: "Are we sure Kanye isn't just a character from 'Zoolander'?"

In 2018, Kanye West made headlines after saying in a TMZ newsroom interview, "When you hear about slavery for 400 years. For 400 years?! That sounds like a choice." The incident occurred when Ye appeared on the show, where he discussed everything from "free thought" to his love for Donald Trump. After West made the remark about slavery, one of the show's employees, Van Lathan, confronted the rapper, stating his disappointment: "I'm appalled, and brother, I am unbelievably hurt by the fact that you have morphed into something, to me, that's not real." Though West went over to Lathan and offered an apology to the upset worker, by that point, the damage was already done.

Additionally, Vox reported that the fashion designer later apologized for his comments about slavery on a Chicago radio station, WGCI 107.5, which only made Ye's later actions during his 2020 presidential campaign even more baffling. According to Entertainment Weekly, during West's campaign event in Charleston, South Carolina, the artist went on several rants, one of which focused on a bizarre claim about Harriet Tubman. As seen in one of the videos recording the event, West said, "Harriet Tubman never actually freed the slaves. She just had the slaves go work for other white people." In response to the West's statement, a woman's voice is heard saying, "Yo, we're leaving right now."

In 2016, Kanye West caused confusion after stating during a concert in San Jose, California that though he didn't vote, if he had, "I would've voted on Trump." The response to his statement was primarily negative, with Politico stating that some concertgoers tossed things onto the stage. But West's support of Donald Trump wasn't just surprising because of the now-former president's controversy; the two also had a strange history, with Trump telling TMZ back in 2009 to boycott West over his "disgusting" behavior at the VMAs when he interrupted Swift's acceptance speech.

However, by 2016, the pair were seemingly on good terms, with Trump offering West and Kim Kardashian "the best of luck" on their marriage and saying they were both "very nice people" during an interview with Extra (via Insider). That same year, when Trump was president-elect, the duo would meet at Trump Tower, later telling reporters that they "discussed life" and had met up per West's request (via The New York Times). By 2018, their friendship still appeared to be going strong, with West tweeting about his love for the president and even paying him a visit at the White House (via USA Today). But, by 2020, West's feelings had shifted. In an interview with Forbes to speak about his campaign, Ye declared that he was no longer a Trump supporter, saying, "I am taking the red hat off, with this interview," bringing the strange camaraderie to an even more bizarre conclusion.

In true Kanye West fashion, he announced that he was running for president via a tweet on the Fourth of July in 2020: "We must now realize the promise of America by trusting God, unifying our vision, and building our future. I am running for president of the United States." His statement quickly gained attention, with many wondering how serious West was about his declaration. During an interview with Forbes, West had plenty to share about his political values.

According to the interview (which even the reporter acknowledged was so bizarre that "it all sounds like a parody, or a particularly surreal episode of 'Keeping Up With The Kardashians'"), Ye stated that he was running under what he called the Birthday Party, saying the name was a reflection of his potential victory: "Because when we win, it's everybody's birthday." Making controversial statements on everything from vaccines to Black History Month, Ye finished out the discussion (which also included "spontaneous freestyle raps") still firm in his convictions. 

Even so, the rapper's presidential run eventually came to an end, with Billboard reporting that West ultimately received 60,000 votes and zero delegates after putting almost $6 million into his operation. Nevertheless, the website for his campaign (which features an ad urging voters to write in West for 2020, an interview with Joe Rogan, and his presidential platform) still lives on.

When you go to a concert, you probably expect to hear your favorite artist finish more than three songs. Of course, if you're a Kanye West fan, you have to be at least anticipating some unexpected and shocking moments, like the one during his concert in 2016. The very bizarre incident happened during a stop in Sacramento for his "Saint Pablo" tour, when Ye stopped his show in the middle of performing "Famous" to go on a rant that lasted for about 15 minutes (via Fader).

After initially stopping, West addressed the confused audience, claiming that many of his fans "felt like they lost." He then complained about Google and various forms of social media like Facebook, claiming they were all spreading lies to people. From there, things continued to derail as West went off about the radio time given to artists like Drake and DJ Khaled, while managing to also comment on politics and complain about Mark Zuckerberg. West finished by acknowledging that he knew that night's actions were going to make headlines, saying, "Get ready to have a field day, press." He followed the statement by declaring that he was canceling the rest of the show, making the entire concert only around 30 minutes long.

Though some of Kanye West's controversial actions are said to be done purely in the name of creativity, Ye has managed to stir things up by comparing himself to biblical figures. While West is no stranger to reflecting on his spiritual enlightenment in his songs, ABC News still questioned whether or not his 2006 Rolling Stone cover, which depicted the artist as Jesus Christ, was going too far.

As ABC News noted, in "Yeezus," the sneaker mogul refers to himself as "a God," and in "I Don't Like," he compares himself to Jesus with the line, "The media crucify me like they did Christ." Time also brought up Ye's faith-based reflections on the album "Jesus Is King," in which the star says, "Before the flood, people judge. They did the same thing to Noah." The article noted that Ye's depiction had many critics split, with West receiving support from other musical creatives, especially gospel artists. In contrast, others like minister and activist Alicia Crosby considered Ye's words to be "weak theology" and "not substantive."

Similarly, Ye's infamous Sunday Service drew considerable criticisms, like journalist Tobi Oredein's statement in Premier Christianity magazine: "He's employing a choir of people who are not only singing his songs, but are all dressed in his apparel. Is Christ really at the center of this gathering?"

Fans of Kanye West might want to reconsider getting in his personal space after a January 2022 report from TMZ declared that West was under investigation for allegedly physically attacking one of his fans. The media outlet stated that Ye supposedly shoved and punched a fan who wanted an autograph, ultimately sending him falling to the ground.

Witnesses to the event claimed that West told the reported victim he didn't want to be photographed before the attack happened and added that the alleged sufferer "hit his head pretty hard on the concrete." However, the article noted that the investigation into the matter hadn't slowed down any of Ye's projects, claiming that a source close to West said the artist plans to focus entirely on his work, which included "Donda 2" and performing at Coachella.

According to The Mercury News, this allegation is hardly a new occurrence. Ye was arrested in 2008 and 2013 for reportedly attacking photographers trying to get pictures of the rapper. In both cases, Ye was prosecuted and ordered by a judge to receive anger management counseling. The victims in those cases also received settlements for the ordeal.

Continuing to make headlines for truly strange demands, Kanye West stated in a since-deleted Instagram post (reported by TMZ) that he needed Billie Eilish to apologize for her actions before he could perform at Coachella.

West was referring to Eilish's concert in Atlanta, during which the "Lost Cause" singer stopped performing to ensure that a fan who was having trouble breathing could receive aid. TMZ reported that she told the crowd, "I wait for people to be okay before I keep going." Many considered her comment to be a reference to Travis Scott and the tragedy at Astroworld, and West was apparently in agreement.

In response to his demand, Deadline reported that Eilish eventually responded in the comment section of the post, simply stating, "Literally never said a thing about Travis. Was just helping a fan." Though the post has since been deleted and West has similarly moved on to share his thoughts on other topics, it's still unclear whether or not Ye wants that apology.

Though Kanye West is no stranger to controversy, even diehard fans have to admit that his public comments about his children should have remained private. Back in 2020, during his campaign for the presidency, West revealed that his wife Kim Kardashian considered having an abortion before she ultimately gave birth to their daughter North West. 

West's public comments about his children have become increasingly alarming, seemingly triggered by his divorce from Kardashian and her relationship with her now ex-boyfriend Pete Davidson. In early February 2022, Page Six reported that Ye had claimed in a since-deleted Instagram post that Kardashian was keeping him from their daughter Chicago and had kidnapped her.

On Super Bowl Sunday, things got even more bizarre as West released a series of posts on Instagram, many of which mentioned either his family, Davidson, or both. In one of the posts directed at Davidson, Ye stated in all caps, "NO YOU WILL NEVER MEET MY CHILDREN." The caption appears to reflect one of the images, which is a screenshot of a message from the comedian requesting that the two work out their differences, adding that he would like to meet West's children one day on good terms. A later post reflected on the same topic with the artist stating, "I DIDNT WAKE UP AND FIGHT FOR MY FAMILY TO TREND OVER THE SUPER BOWL." West said he wanted to watch the big game with Kardashian and his children.

Since their divorce (and even during their split), Kanye West has made plenty of shocking statements about his now ex-wife Kim Kardashian. Us Weekly noted that during a speech while visiting Skid Row, Ye stated that he bought the house next door to Kardashian and alluded to the possibility that God would reunite the pair, saying that "the enemy" had separated "Kimye." The media outlet also mentioned West's callout to Kardashian during his 2021 benefit concert in Los Angeles, during which Ye sang, "I need you to run right back to me. More specifically, Kimberly."

In January 2022, the rapper claimed to have prevented a second sex tape of Kardashian and Ray J from getting out. During an interview with Hollywood Unlocked, West said that the "Keeping Up" star cried when he delivered the video. Ye then declared that his ex-wife's tears "represent how much she's been used" and how people "didn't love her, and they just saw her as a commodity." Then in February, Us Weekly reported on one of Ye's since-deleted Instagram posts, in which West claimed, "YESTERDAY KIM ACCUSED ME OF PUTTING A HIT OUT ON HER." Despite a brief relationship with Julia Fox, West's pleas for Kardashian to rekindle their relationship and bring their family back together have only continued.

The drama between Kanye West, Kim Kardashian, and Pete Davidson dates back to at least January 2019, when the then-married West and Kardashian went to dinner with Davidson and Timothée Chalamet. Davidson later joked on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon that he ended up paying the bill for the night. Two years later, a newly single Kardashian and Davidson met once again when the reality star hosted "Saturday Night Live" and the two starred in a skit together. Per People, Kardashian and Davidson were photographed holding hands at the end of October 2021, and dating rumors quickly followed.

In January 2022, West released the song "Eazy." Among other things, the lyrics included a threat to Davidson, in which West raps, "God saved me from that crash /Just so I can beat Pete Davidson's ass (who?)" (via Entertainment Weekly). As Kardashian and Davidson made their romance more obvious, West appeared to grow angrier about the relationship. Davidson appeared to tattoo the initials of West and Kardashian's four children on his body, prompting an outburst from West, who began targeting Davidson on social media.

Kardashian and Davidson eventually broke up, and Davidson later admitted to being in trauma therapy due to the treatment he received from West and his fans (per People). A source admitted, "The attention and negativity coming from Kanye and his antics is a trigger for [Pete], and he's had to seek out help."

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West share four children together, all of whom attend the same school in California. In October 2022, sources revealed that Kardashian had to foot the bill for extra security at the school after West revealed its name on Instagram, prompting the school and parents to worry that children might be endangered (per TMZ). The school was clear that they didn't see West as an individual threat, but that the concern was that a stranger or follower of West's could show up at the school unannounced.

West shared the name of the school when he posted (and subsequently deleted) a series of text messages he presumably exchanged with Kardashian. In the messages, West is asking Kardashian or the other party to allow the children to attend his own school, Donda Academy. In one message he wrote, "No, we need to talk in person, you don't have a say-so of where the kids go to school. Why you get say say? Cause you half white?" and in another, he insisted, "Y'all don't have so so over my Black children and where they go to school. they will not do playboy and sex tapes" (via StyleCaster).

West later revealed that Kardashian agreed to allow the children to attend after-school programs at Donda Academy, but he added, "I'm not finished because I don't compromise" (per StyleCaster).

The hits kept coming from Kanye West in October 2022. The rapper and entrepreneur debuted T-shirts emblazoned with the phrase "White Lives Matter" at Paris Fashion Week as part of a catwalk event that was organized secretly. The shirts also featured a photo of Pope John Paul II on the front. West was joined by conservative commentator Candace Owens at the event, and he announced prior to its start, "Everyone here knows that I am the leader ... you can't manage me. This is an unmanageable situation" (via The Guardian).

The phrase "White Lives Matter" is classified as a hate statement by the Anti-Defamation League. While discussing the shirts with rapper Sean Combs, West told Combs that he is "controlled by Jewish people" and shared the text exchange on Instagram. The platform deleted the post, so West went to Twitter and wrote, "I'm a bit sleepy tonight but when I wake up I'm going death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE" (via Vulture). 

West then insisted that "black people are actually Jew" and in his mind, this meant he could not be antisemitic. The statement appeared to hearken back to claims made by some extremist sects of the Black Hebrew Israelite Movement. As noted by the ADL, the entire movement is not antisemitic, but the more fringe members are closer to the alt-right Christian Identity Movement. Black Jews are not part of this movement.

Vogue journalist Gabriella Karefa-Johnson attended Kanye West's Paris Fashion Week show that introduced his "White Lives Matter" shirts. Karefa-Johnson expressed her disdain for the shirts and the slogan following the show, and wrote on Instagram, "The t-shirts this man conceived, produced, and shared with the world are pure violence. There is no excuse. There is no art here" (per Insider). The journalist further explained her concern about the shirts in an Instagram story, and wrote in part, "The danger is that, this very premise, the idea that white supremacy is in danger of extinction is what justifies mass incarceration, murder en mass, indeed even the advent of slavery."

West addressed Karefa-Johnson's criticism in a roundabout way, ignoring the conversation the journalist might have hoped to have. Instead, he chose to insult her publicly and shared a photo of the writer on his Instagram as he used his caption to mock her outfit. Several people came to her defense, including model Gigi Hadid and "Queer Eye" star Tan France. 

Vogue took to Instagram to defend Karefa-Johnson. The magazine explained that the fashion journalist chose to meet with West, and insisted, "Vogue stands with Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, our global fashion editor at large and longtime contributor. She was personally targeted and bullied. It is unacceptable" (via Instagram).

Up until October 25, 2022, Kanye West was part of a lucrative deal with sneaker company Adidas. On October 11, 2022, news dropped that West had forced executives at Adidas to watch pornographic material during a meeting. West himself shared the story when he posted a clip from the meeting as it happened. In the clip, West said, "You guys have done wrong by the company, by the business, and by the partnership" before holding up his phone to the face of someone at the meeting and making the person watch the graphic footage (per Complex).

While the faces of those at the meeting were blurred out, identifying details were not omitted. As noted by Complex, some attendants appear to attempt to argue in favor of West's reason for being at the meeting in the first place. Former Adidas President Eric Liedtke was captured speaking about Adidas shoes that bear a strong resemblance to West's designs when he stated, "It starts with somebody feeling very highly disrespected. And there's grounds for that, in my opinion."

The man who is shown the graphic content was identified as Torben Schumacher, a senior vice president at the company. West was shown in the video telling Schumacher that he and the actor in the video have similar voices before Schumacher pushed his arm away and said, "Come on, man" (via Complex).

In mid-October 2022, Kanye West recorded an interview on Revolt's "Drink Champs" (the channel is owned by Sean Combs). This was West's third appearance on the show and most certainly his most inflammatory. In the interview, West stated his belief that George Floyd, the Minnesota man who was killed by police in May 2020, died due to an overdose of fentanyl (it appeared that West was repeating a claim stated by conservative author Candace Owens, per Yahoo). West also made a number of comments about Jewish people, which included his apparent belief that there is a "Jewish media" that operates against him.

The episode of "Drink Champs" was removed from Revolt's streaming platforms. Show host N.O.R.E. later issued an apology in which he detailed his relationship with West and explained his decision to allow West to speak freely. N.O.R.E. said, "I have a relationship with Ye. When he was going through a lot of things that he was going through, he would call me, and he would actually listen to me and take my advice ... I felt that I could control the interview. And I've learned early on that I didn't. As a Black man, I feel like I failed. As a human, I feel like I failed" (via Stereogum).

As a result of the interview, West lost several lucrative partnerships and endorsements, including a decade-long deal with Adidas.

The family of George Floyd also took major issue with what Kanye West said during this third "Drink Champs" interview. The family announced their intention to file a $250 million lawsuit against West in response. The suit was filed by Floyd's ex-girlfriend Roxie Washington on behalf of her daughter with Floyd, Gianna Floyd.  Washington's lawyers indicated that the lawsuit is for "harassment, misappropriation, defamation, and infliction of emotional distress" (per NPR).

Attorney Pat D. Dixon III explained, "Kanye's comments are a repugnant attempt to discount George Floyd's life and to profit from his inhumane death. We will hold Mr. West accountable for his flagrant remarks against Mr. Floyd's legacy." 

However, NPR pointed out that it's not clear how successful the lawsuit might be. Roy S. Gutterman, the director of Syracuse University's Tully Center for Free Speech, told the media outlet that defamation cases can't be filed on behalf of someone who has died. Gutterman conceded that Washington might have grounds for emotional distress, though that can still be difficult to prove. NPR also pointed out that families of the victims of the Sandy Hook school shooting successfully argued emotional distress damages against radio host Alex Jones in their own lawsuit.

On October 26, 2022, Kanye West's school, Donda Academy, announced that it would be the final day for the academy, and explained that the school would reopen in 2023. The administration of the school sent parents an email that explained the closure and cited West as the reason for the disruption in the education of the school's students. Principal Jason Angell wrote in part that "at the discretion of our founder, Donda Academy will close for the remainder of the 2022-2023 school year effective immediately" (via TMZ).

West temporarily addressed the school closure in a post on Instagram, in which he wrote "Here's the clout you're looking for. My school is being shut down" before he deleted the post. 

However, parents received a second email hours later. This message was also penned by the school's principal, who explained, "Join us tomorrow morning in worship for the return of Donda Academy. With the help of our parents and community, we are back and returning with a vengeance!" (per TMZ). It's unclear how many parents had made alternative plans for their students, or how many students showed up for school following the surprise reversal.

Kanye West released a 2018 album titled "Ye," but on October 27, 2022, numerous news outlets indicated that West had hoped to name the record "Hitler" instead. A business executive who worked closely with West at the time told CNN that the album name wasn't the only indication that West had a preoccupation that bordered on obsession with the leader of Germany's Nazi party. The unnamed executive explained, "He would praise Hitler by saying how incredible it was that he was able to accumulate so much power and would talk about all the great things he and the Nazi Party achieved for the German people."

The same person filed complaints against West within the organization and ultimately left his job after reaching a settlement with the rapper. The agreement the two reached in part stated that West could deny the allegations raised by the executive, which also include that those who make up the close circle around the rapper are "fully aware" of his interest in Hitler and the Nazis. 

The revelation comes after West was invited to a private tour at the Holocaust Museum LA. Beth Kean, the CEO of the museum, explained to eJewishPhilanthropy that the museum offered the tour to West through his agency, but the offer was declined. 

On December 1, 2022, Kanye West was interviewed by infamous conspiracy theorist Alex Jones for Jones' show, "Infowars." Jones kicked the interview off by defending the rapper against the recent criticism he's garnered: "You're not Hitler, you're not a Nazi, you don't deserve to be called that and demonized," Jones said. West then surprised everyone, even Jones, by admitting, "I like Hitler," and adding that he believes Hitler, who killed millions of people during the Holocaust, had some good traits. West continued, "Every human being has something of value that they brought to the table, especially Hitler. Also Hitler was born Christian" (via The Hill).

The interview was met with near-immediate condemnation across the board, and even Jones appeared uncomfortable with how far West went with his statements. West added, "I love Jewish people but I also love Nazis," to which Jones replied, "Well, I have to disagree with that." West further accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of conspiring to order people, ostensibly Jewish people, to "control the history books," "control the banks," and "go and kill people."

The statements were even disavowed by the The Republican Jewish Coalition, which issued a statement that read in part, "Conservatives who have mistakenly indulged Kanye West must make it clear that he is a pariah."

Kanye West returned to Twitter following his Infowars interview, and began to send out a missive of tweets that showed his support for Balenciaga as the brand battled its own scandal. West tweeted, "I stand by Balenciaga and denounce all witch hunts and I cancel cancel culture Jesus is King Ending trafficking doesn't start or end with a fashion campaign for Christ Sake" (via Page Six).

The tweets were in reference to the enormous backlash Balenciaga faced regarding its Spring 2023 campaign, which featured photos of children holding teddy bears dressed in what appears to be S&M-style bondage clothing. The campaign also includes a direct visual reference to a 2008 United States Supreme Court ruling, United States v. Williams, that declared it a criminal act to advertise, share, or promote sexualized photos of kids (via StyleCaster). In additional tweets, West insisted that he was "Praying for all of the innocent artist and beautiful humans who make clothing that had nothing to do with the adds" and that Twitter should focus on removing pornography from its own platform, because "When grown men look at porn they are watching someone's daughter relive trauma for money" (via Page Six).

On December 2, 2022, Kanye West was suspended from Twitter yet again after he posted an image of a swastika to his account. The image featured the swastika inside a Star of David. The swastika is most closely tied to Adolf Hitler and his Nazi regime, while the Star of David is closely affiliated with Judaism. 

Fans of the rapper and entrepreneur took to the platform to ask its new owner, Elon Musk, to do something to "fix" Kanye. Musk responded in kind, tweeting to one, "I tried my best. Despite that, he again violated our rule against incitement to violence. Account will be suspended." 

West didn't offer an explanation for his controversial tweet, but posted the image immediately following his explosive and dangerous interview with Alex Jones of "Infowars." During the interview, West repeatedly praised Hitler and the Nazis, despite pushback from Jones himself. West's Twitter account was previously suspended in October 2022 following a separate interview, during which he espoused similar beliefs and was accused of antisemitism (via CNBC). 

Kanye West continued to court controversy into 2023. Hyping his new collaboration with Ty Dolla $ign titled "Vultures," Kanye West hosted a surprise rave for the new album at Miami's Wynwood Marketplace in December.

Ye stepped onto the outdoor stage with a black headscarf wrapped around his head and later changed into what appeared to be a black Ku Klux Klan hood. West, accompanied by artists Ty Dolla $ign, Chris Brown, Offset, Kodak Black, Freddie Gibbs, Lil Durk, and Bump J, as well as his children North, Saint, and Chicago, arrived onstage at 1:45 a.m. and rapped only a few songs off of the album before abruptly exiting. 

The event seemed to receive a mixed reception from those in attendance. While some fans characterized it as "classic Ye," others seemed frustrated by the late arrival, Miami New Times reported. After the event, some fans took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to express their chagrin, particularly given his children were on stage with him. 

Shortly after Kanye West's divorce from Kim Kardashian was finalized in November 2022, news broke that he had married Yeezy employee Bianca Censori. However, the Australian architectural designer's relationship with West hasn't been all roses, sources allege. The Daily Mail reported that West met his new in-laws in July 2023 after flying them out to Japan for a family trip. Their impressions of West appeared to be mixed, particularly given the antisemitic remarks the rapper made earlier. Further alarming reports swirled around the new couple. "Kanye has a set of rules for Bianca, which includes never speak and wear what he wants her to wear. She is also required to eat certain food items and to work out even though Kanye doesn't work out," a source alleged to the Daily Mail.

In November 2023, the couple appeared to be on a break ahead of Ye's album launch. A source close to Censori and her family affirmed to The Sun that given Ye's controlling behavior, "her family has never been a fan of Ye, and those close to her have questioned whether marrying him was the right decision." However, the two appear to still be in a relationship, as of this writing.

Kanye West and his new wife Bianca Censori were quick to stir up shock and outrage in September 2023 when images broke of the couple engaging in a lewd act on a water taxi during a trip to Venice. The NSFW photos depict West with his pants and underwear down and Censori kneeling between his legs. Shortly after the photos circulated, the Venetian boat company the couple had hired promptly banned both West and Censori from its services for life. 

In a statement provided to Independent, the company claimed that the captain did not see the act as "there was a third person on board the taxi, who accompanied Mr and Mrs West, who obstructed the captain's view to the stern." The company, known for escorting numerous high-profile clients and celebrities, shared that had the captain been able to see the couple, "he would have immediately disembarked and reported the transgressors to those in authority."

At a Las Vegas rave and listening party for his new album, "Vultures," Kanye West courted controversy yet again with an extended rant attacking his former business partners as well as falsely claiming that Jewish people own the majority of hospitals, schools, and establishments in Los Angeles. The antisemitic tirade had West haphazardly comparing himself to both Adolf Hitler and Jesus Christ and frequently shouting at the audience to shut up as they challenged his statements. West additionally threatened to have one audience member who called out that West was not God removed from the show.

The bizarre polemic was captured by several audience members and streamers and came on the heels of a series of controversies, including multiple antisemitic and racist posts and statements over 2022 and 2023. In an Instagram post written in Hebrew, West issued an apology to the Jewish community for the rant on Instagram.

On top of other issues surrounding Kanye West and his 2023 album, the rapper faced further controversy after hosting an unlicensed rave celebrating "Vultures." Las Vegas police were called to disperse a crowd of 300 to 400 people congregating for the event, and the event's promoter was given a citation for the unlicensed gathering, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. 

West promoted the event on X, formerly known as Twitter, and it was intended to be held at a seemingly abandoned warehouse. Tickets ran $2,000, with some attendees paying in advance with no clear way to refund their purchase. An attendee interviewed by 8 News Now in Las Vegas said of the misleading flyer and disbanded party, "It's a real shame to see somebody I look up to on a creative level fall through in such a big way."

Kanye West has been losing business relationships and collaborations steadily over the past few years due to his controversial, antisemitic, and racist tirades, as well as alleged misconduct behind the scenes of his more successful ventures. In late 2023, Nicki Minaj turned down West's request to include a song they had recorded on his 2023 album, "Vultures." 

The song titled "New Body" had been initially recorded for the scrapped album "Yandhi" in 2018. West had announced his intention to rework it and include it on his gospel album, "Jesus is King." But the song ultimately leaked on TikTok years later. Despite the song's popularity, Minaj declined to release it, stoking West's ire. "I done wrote three different verses chile, and I don't know. We ain't seeing eye to eye on it," Minaj told The Shade Room.

At a listening party for the upcoming album, West implied that he was partially responsible for Minaj's career success, stating, "I made that girl rewrite her verse three times for Monster. I supported her career. ... So I don't know what it is."