Kanye West released a new song, “Heil Hitler,” generating widespread backlash and courting controversy once again. Released on May 8, the song prompted accusations that the rapper was “trying to make racism cool again.” The artist not only faced criticism from listeners, but most major streaming services swiftly removed the song from their platforms. Additionally, CyberWell, a nonprofit group committed to fighting online antisemitism, labeled the song “a hateful contribution to the world.”
Non-profit founder claims Kanye West’s ‘Heil Hitler’ is a ‘hateful contribution to the world’
Kanye West debuted his song “Heil Hitler” on May 8, immediately sparking online backlash. The song, advocating the Nazi leader, triggered action from online platforms. This included taking down the “hateful” song across various streaming services. According to Radar Online’s exclusive report, critics emphasized the title along with the song’s content.
CyberWell’s founder, Tal-Or Cohen Montemayor, spoke exclusively with Radar Online, highlighting how the song “glorifies the Nazi leader,” embedding “Nazi glorification – including ‘All my n—– Nazis, heil Hitler.’” The nonprofit founder continued, “Ye exploited the algorithmic charge and large reach of social media platforms to normalize and spread Jew-hatred to millions.”
Montemayor further explained, “Ye’s latest hateful contribution to the world, the song entitled ‘Heil Hitler,’ is part of his unabashed campaign to make racism cool again.” According to her, West leveraged his celebrity status, huge fanbase, and social media presence to provoke hateful ideology in mainstream media.
The activist revealed the distinction in the comments, “The comments sections, even to content condemning the song across social media platforms, has been rife with open Jew-hatred—another testament to the negligence of social media platforms to enforce their policies where they effect users most.” While this highlighted concerns around hate speech, it also raised questions about Ye’s career as an artist and his accountability.
Kanye West took to X (formerly Twitter) to respond to the ban of his song “Heil Hitler.” He posted: “Heil Hitler by Ye has been banned by all digital streaming platforms. While Rednecks by Randy Newman remains streamable. They’re literally keeping the n—– down.” Prompting further criticism for his comment, the artist urged conversations around the ripple effects of music and hate speech.
