A brand new song by rapper Kanye West glorifying Nazi chief Adolf Hitler has racked up millions of views on Elon Musk’s X platform, after it was banned by different websites comparable to YouTube.
West, the winner of 24 Grammys over the course of his profession in hip-hop, in recent times has made repeated antisemitic and pro-Nazi statements.
“Heil Hitler” was launched on May 8 by the 47-year-old artist who now prefers to go by Ye, the eightieth anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II.
As of Saturday, the video had been seen practically 10 million instances.
In the clip, dozens of Black males, sporting 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 additionally informed NBC that it might take away any variations of the song from its platform, with a spokesperson including: “Hate and anti-Semitism have absolutely no place on Reddit.”
The song has additionally been faraway from streaming platforms Spotify and Apple Music.
Since Musk bought Twitter (now X) in 2022, he has allowed hate speech and disinformation on the positioning, positioning himself as a champion of free speech.
But critics say the Tesla and SpaceX chief is amplifying those that share his political opinions.
Musk has turn out to be a detailed ally of President Donald Trump, and donated $277 million to assist Trump and different Republican candidates within the 2024 election.
X didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark from AFP.
In February, West’s X account was deactivated after a days-long rant that included vitriolic, anti-Semitic outbursts.
He additionally repeatedly referred to himself as a “Nazi.”
Also in February, the web site of his Yeezy style model was taken offline after plain white T-shirts with a swastika went on sale.
The rapper had been locked out of social media platforms up to now, notably when he was banned from X for practically eight months for violating guidelines barring incitement to violence.
Adidas reduce ties with West in 2022 after allegations of antisemitism in opposition to him.
The partnership was one of probably the most profitable sportswear tie-ups in historical past, and the ensuing Yeezy vary went on to assist make West a billionaire.
As of Saturday, Forbes put his web value at $400 million.
For years, West has spoken overtly about struggles with bipolar dysfunction. He has mentioned on “The Download” podcast that he has been identified with autism.
Published – May 19, 2025 08:43 am IST
