Ye (formerly Kanye West) is facing very public reckoning. The “Hurricane” rapper made headlines at his Yeezy Paris Fashion Week show on Oct. 3, 2022, for wearing a shirt emblazoned with the phrase “White Lives Matter” on its back, and featuring Black models in the shirt. The phrase is one that was adopted by neo-Nazi and white supremacist groups in response to the Black Lives Matter movement, and the rapper has been facing backlash from both fans and celebrities online.

But the controversy did not stop for there for Ye, who has doubled down on his comments on Instagram and later took to Twitter (now X) to use antisemitic rhetoric in his posts, then continued to amplify his hate speech in interviews. The reaction from the public was swift, with several companies — including The Gap, Balenciaga and more — terminating their relationships and brand deals with the rapper.

Forbes reported that Ye has lost his billionaire status after Adidas announced Oct. 25, 2022, that it was dropping his deal, and that the brand does not tolerate hate speech. The move, according to the publication, put Ye’s net worth at $400 million and resulted in his removal from Forbes‘ billionaires list.

Since then, Adidas has opened an internal investigation after several former employees accused West of inappropriate workplace conduct during meetings with Adidas employees. People in his orbit, from former girlfriend Julia Fox to collaborator Pusha T, have also distanced themselves from him. Furthermore, Ye’s Nov. 22, 2022, dinner with Donald Trump and white nationalist Nick Fuentes was widely denounced, even by Trump’s former vice president, Mike Pence.

From brands and scrapped documentaries, to airplay declines of his music catalogue and more, here are the consequences Kanye West has faced due to his “WLM” and continued antisemitic remarks and hate speech.

*Editor’s Note: After an Oct. 8, 2022, tweet in which he announced he was going “death con [sic] 3 on Jewish people,” Kanye West (Ye) has repeatedly doubled down on antisemitic hate speech, even going so far as to praise Hitler, a man responsible for the systematic murder of six million Jews during the Holocaust. This arrives at a troubling time when antisemitism is on the rise, with the Anti-Defamation League noting a 34% year-over-year increase in antisemitic incidents (assault, harassment and vandalism) in America in 2021. Many companies have cut business ties with the rapper/fashion designer, while numerous musicians, friends and politicians have condemned his comments.

In typical Trump fashion, the president dodged the question and went on a bizarre rant that seemingly remembered Nazis for … their sympathy.

“I said to them, was there any sign of love?” Trump said, recounting his conversation with released hostages.

“Did the, Hamas, show any signs of like, help? Or liking you? Did they wink? Did they give you a piece of bread extra? Did they give you a meal on the side? … Like, you know, what happened in Germany?” Trump said, absurdly comparing the hostages’ situation to the Holocaust, which murdered six million Jews.

Dear Gal and David,

Bravo. Bravo. Bravo. It’s about time people of your stature stood up and spoke out about the ferocious levels of antisemitism that have infested campuses and cities everywhere, as you did at the recent ADL dinner.

I want to personally thank you for standing up to hatred and being the voice for every Jew worldwide. It takes tremendous courage to put your names on the line, and I commend you for that.

I know from personal experience that not everyone is willing to do so.

I recently emailed an A-list celebrity with whom I have a connection, asking her and her husband to partner with Aish.com for a worldwide challah bake to pray for the return of the hostages.

They responded directly and politely declined, explaining that they already receive so much hate mail and threats that they could not accept to take such a political stance.

As much as I understood their fears about being vocal, how is praying for a fellow Jew a political stance?

As you, Gal, mentioned in your fiery acceptance speech at the ADL dinner, merely stating that you are a Jew today is somehow considered controversial. Never in your life could you have imagined that mass numbers of people would be cheering Hamas on for their atrocities.

The truth of the matter is we don’t have the luxury of sitting back and remaining politically correct. There is too much at stake for Jews worldwide.

How is it really politically correct to remain silent when women, children and people of all races, religions, young and old are abducted, raped, murdered and tortured like they were in October 7th?

Standing by silently is making a very loud statement.

As the holiday of Purim approaches, we remember that Esther, a Jew, was “randomly” chosen to be the Queen of Persia. As the Jewish people were in imminent danger of being destroyed as a nation, Mordechai asked her to speak up and beg the king to save her nation.

She was terrified. Approaching the king uninvited was equivalent to a death sentence.

Mordechai told her, “Esther perhaps this is why you have been placed in this lofty position. You can choose not to speak up, but then the redemption will come from elsewhere. God has a plan and if it doesn’t come from your voice, it will come from someone else’s. But don’t think you will be saved because you are the Queen.”

Every Jewish celebrity in Hollywood needs to recognize, like you have, that they have a powerful platform which is a gift that can be used to help their fellow Jews worldwide in these desperate times.

Don’t think that just because you are a celebrity you will have a different “Jew” status if and when world opinion turns. None of us can remain silent.

So Ms. Gadot and Mr. Schwimmer, I thank you for your bravery. Thank you for being the modern-day Queen Esther and Mordechai. I hope that your courage to speak out against antisemitism will encourage your fellow Hollywood cognoscenti to get off the fence and do the same.

Where are all your fellow Jewish Hollywood colleagues? Where are the writers, the actors, the producers and the directors? Where were the powerful messages delivered by Jews at the recent Academy Awards? With respect, I ask Adrian Brody, where are you? Did you not play a pivotal role as a Jew in a film about antisemitism after the Holocaust? In your overtime speech at the Oscars you couldn’t find 30 seconds to directly encourage people to speak out against antisemitism, without masking your message behind the cloak of universal bigotry and hate?

No one is asking celebrities to solve the issues in the Middle East. This is about standing alongside your Jewish friends, neighbors, and coworkers who have been witnessing horror after horror on campus after campus. Your friends are worried for their future and their children’s safety. Let them know you stand with them, support them and love them.

Gal’s words ring clear: “We cannot ignore the explosion of Jew hatred around the world. My name is Gal, I am Jewish and we have had enough of Jew hatred. We will confront antisemitism, we will call it out. But we will never let it defeat us or define us because our love is stronger than their hate.”

Warmly,

Sarah Pachter

Rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, appeared to write a barrage of posts Friday morning on X, making offensive comments about the Jewish community and saying he has “dominion” over his wife.

A slew of posts were made on the 47-year-old artist’s account — many of them derogatory and self-boasting — started around 4 a.m. PT (7 a.m. ET). NBC News attempted to reach out to Ye’s representatives for comment on the posts.

Many of Ye’s posts centered on the Jewish community, the most severe of which said, “I love Hitler” and “I’m a Nazi.”

In an early post, he wrote, “I’m never apologizing for my Jewish comments. I can say whatever the f— I wanna say forever. Where’s my f—— apology for freezing my accounts.”

He followed that with saying Jewish people “don’t run me no more.” In one post, he wrote: “Some of my best friends are Jewish and I don’t trust any of them,” followed by a laughing crying emoji. In another, he posted “I’m buying two Maybachs tomorrow” adding “Ima make the Jewish person who’s selling it to me read all these tweets and I bet you you see me whipping Maybachs.”

“I’m racist stereo types (sic) exist for a reason and they all be true,” he wrote in another post.

“I don’t even know what the f— anti Semitic means. It’s just some bull—- Jewish people made up to protect their bull—-,” the rapper said in a separate post.

In another post, he wrote “All white people are racist” and “Jewish people actually hate white people and use black people.”

Another said: “I love when Jewish people come to me and say they can’t work with me anymore its my fav.”

Ye has had his X, previously known as Twitter, account suspended at least twice in the past.

His account was suspended in December 2022 after he made antisemitic comments and praised Hitler. Musk, the owner of X, said at the time Ye’s account would be suspended after he posted an image that appeared to show a swastika inside a Star of David. Musk said the suspension was “for incitement to violence.” The account was unsuspended by July 2023.

In October 2022, Ye’s account was restricted over antisemitic comments but he returned to the platform the following month. In that case, he also made antisemitic remarks that led to Adidas cutting ties with the rapper.

Ye’s Friday morning maelstrom of posts also touched on other topics, including his wife, Elon Musk and Sean “Diddy” Combs.

He spoke on the look of his wife, Bianca Censori, at the Grammy’s — a see-through dress — writing: “I have dominion over my wife. This ain’t no woke as feminist s—.”

Ye and Bianca Censori at the Grammy Awards on Sunday. Gilbert Flores / Billboard via Getty Images

“She’s with a billionaire. Why would she listen to any of you dumb a– broke broke b——. People say the red carpet look was her decision. Yes I don’t make her do nothing she doesn’t want to but she definitely wouldn’t have been able to do it without my approval you stupid a– woke pawns. I have no respect or empathy for anyone living cause no one living can f— with me but I do love some people and I give them favor.”

In another post on politics, he said then-Vice President Kamala Harris was “just being used for what they call ‘the Black Vote.’”

One post seemed to support Combs, who previously went by the name Puff Daddy.

“My support of Puff is completely selfish. I need to find whoever been trying to out black moguls,” Ye wrote.

Combs, who is in federal custody and being held in Brooklyn, was indicted in the Southern District of New York in September on charges of sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution. Combs has denied all the allegations against him to date, which include the federal criminal case and more than 30 civil lawsuits filed against him.

Ye also said that every post he writes “promotes Elon’s platform.” Another post on Musk said: “Elon stole my Nazi Swag at the Inauguration.”

During his speech at the post-inauguration rally, Musk said the 2024 election “really mattered” and thanked the crowd “for making it happen,” before placing his right hand on his chest and then extending his arm, palm facing down, at an upward angle. He then turned around and made the same gesture and said, “My heart goes out to you. It is thanks to you that the future of civilization is assured.”

Musk later referred to allegations that he performed a Nazi salute as “pure propaganda” and “dirty tricks.”

Less incendiary, several posts on Ye’s account just appeared to stoke his own ego.

He wrote: “I am above any other celebrity that’s ever existed. I look down on them and they look up to me,” calling himself the “top.”

Another post said, “All rappers want my spot” and “every rapper living wanna be me every rapper living wish they was Ye.”

Ye’s tirade was condemned by Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt.

“Here we go again. Another egregious display of antisemitism, racism and misogyny from Ye on his X account this morning. Just a few years ago, ADL found that 30 antisemitic incidents nationwide were tied to Kanye’s 2022 antisemitic rants,” Greenblatt said. “We condemn this dangerous behavior and need to call it what it is: a flagrant and unequivocal display of hate.”

After previously feuding with Musk, the pro-Israel group rushes to defend his gesture, which critics compared with a Nazi salute.

Washington, DC – After Elon Musk made an apparent Nazi salute at an inauguration rally for United States President Donald Trump, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) rushed to defend the SpaceX founder.

The self-described anti-Semitism watchdog and “leading anti-hate organization in the world” dismissed Musk’s raised arm as “an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm” in a social media post on Monday.

Months earlier, however, Jonathan Greenblatt, the head of the staunchly pro-Israel ADL, compared the Palestinian keffiyeh to the Nazi swastika.

Activists say the contrast between the ADL’s hurried defence of Musk and its efforts to demonise Palestinians and their supporters shows that the group is more focused on silencing voices critical of Israel than it is on fighting anti-Semitism.

“The ADL is being crystal clear about where it stands,” said Beth Miller, political director at Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP).

“They have made it as clear as possible that they are not a reputable source of information when it comes to anti-Semitism. They are not actually prioritising the protection of Jewish communities at all.”

Miller called the ADL a “hateful group” dedicated to smearing Palestinian rights advocates.

For years, the ADL has been a go-to NGO for government agencies and the corporate world when it comes to anti-Semitism, hate crimes and broader civil rights issues.

The group has hosted top Israeli and US politicians, FBI directors, celebrities and businesspeople.

The group’s annual “audit” of anti-Semitic incidents in the US — which last year included “certain expressions of opposition to Zionism, as well as support for resistance against Israel” — often gets cited by government agencies and legislation.

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Still, Palestinian rights supporters and US-based Muslim groups have long sounded the alarm about the ADL and its stalwart support for Israel.

In recent years, the group has come under increased criticism for the perception that it has gone soft on right-wing figures accused of bigotry, as long as they support Israel.

Those accusations escalated after Musk’s gesture on Monday.

“Just to be clear, you are defending a Heil Hitler salute that was performed and repeated for emphasis and clarity,” progressive Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wrote on social media in response to the ADL’s defence of Musk.

“People can officially stop listening to you as any sort of reputable source of information now.”

Just to be clear, you are defending a Heil Hitler salute that was performed and repeated for emphasis and clarity. People can officially stop listening to you as any sort of reputable source of information now. You work for them. Thank you for making that crystal clear to all. https://t.co/0gLdMCU3UV — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) January 21, 2025

Musk’s gesture

While speaking at the Capital One Arena following Trump’s inauguration, Musk put his hand to his chest, then swiftly raised his arm as he thanked the crowd for electing the Republican president.

The 53-year-old billionaire then turned around and did it again.

His motion resembled the Nazi gesture — known as the “Sieg Heil”, German for “hail victory” — which has roots in an ancient Roman salute.

“My heart goes out to you. It is thanks to you that the future of civilisation is assured,” Musk said.

While it is not uncommon for politicians to extend their arms to greet an audience, the combination of Musk’s rhetoric about “civilisation” and the repeated gesture raised many eyebrows.

Ruth Ben-Ghiat, a history professor at New York University who writes about fascism and authoritarianism, said in a social media post that Musk’s gesture was “a Nazi salute — and a very belligerent one too”.

Musk has not provided a detailed explanation of what happened, but he did brush off the accusations, saying that his critics “need better dirty tricks”.

“The ‘everyone is Hitler’ attack is sooo tired,” Musk wrote on X. He later shared a post showing Democratic politicians with their arms raised and dismissed legacy media as “pure propaganda”.

But Matan Arad-Neeman, a spokesperson for IfNotNow, a Jewish progressive group, rejected Musk’s apparent denial.

“I’m descended from Holocaust survivors, and I know a Nazi salute when I see one, and that was absolutely what Elon Musk was doing,” Arad-Neeman told Al Jazeera.

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He added that the ADL’s defence of Musk was “obscene”. He juxtaposed the group’s response with its reaction to antiwar protesters pushing for a ceasefire in Gaza, where Israel has pursued a devastating military campaign since 2023.

“It’s not surprising — although it is shameful — that the ADL has spent recent years focusing their attention on egging on a crackdown on protesters for Palestinian human rights and antiwar protesters,” Arad-Neeman said.

ADL-Musk feud

The ADL’s backing of Musk would have been unthinkable less than a year and a half ago, when the billionaire entrepreneur threatened to sue the pro-Israel group over allegations that it was preventing companies from advertising on X after he acquired the platform.

Musk’s attacks, which the ADL described as “dangerous and deeply irresponsible”, were also perceived by critics as anti-Semitic. Some criticised Musk for blaming a Jewish group for his new company’s shortcomings.

But weeks after accusing X of “elevating” anti-Semites, the ADL welcomed what it called the platform’s “intent” to address anti-Semitism.

In October 2023, Greenblatt described Musk as an “amazing entrepreneur and extraordinary innovator”, positively comparing him with the pioneering industrialist Henry Ford, who is widely believed to have espoused anti-Semitic views.

Even after Musk and the ADL appeared to bury the hatchet, the X owner responded to a post accusing Jewish communities of promoting “dialectical hatred” against white people by writing: “You have said the actual truth”.

Musk visited Israel in November of that year, weeks into its war on Gaza, and met with the country’s leaders.

Arad-Neeman said bigots should not be able to “wave away their anti-Semitism” by saying that they support Israel.

“It’s unacceptable,” he told Al Jazeera. “It is offensive to the vast majority of American Jews who are terrified by people like the Proud Boys, by people like Elon Musk, by people like Donald Trump who cosy up to white supremacists and fascists.”

Besides his comments on the Jewish people, Musk has voiced support for far-right groups across the world.

Last month, he sparked outrage when he said only Germany’s far-right party, the AfD, could save the country.

Musk has also taken up the cause of the British anti-Muslim campaigner Tommy Robinson, who is in jail for contempt of court as part of a libel case. A court found that Robinson had falsely accused a Syrian refugee schoolboy of attacking “young English girls”.

The ADL recently denounced Robinson, whose legal name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, as an “anti-Muslim bigot”.

‘Censoring our speech’

Abed Ayoub, the executive director at the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), said he wished the ADL would extend the same careful approach and benefit of the doubt it offered Musk to members of Arab and Muslim communities.

“This organisation has a history of censoring our speech and going after our speech and our freedom of expression, and it has made life difficult for many Arabs, Palestinians, Muslims and our supporters in this country,” Ayoub told Al Jazeera.

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The ADL opposed a proposed mosque in New York in 2010 because it was close to the site of the 9/11 attacks at the World Trade Center, siding with far-right and Islamophobic groups.

The group has admitted more than a decade later that its position on the mosque was “wrong”.

More recently, the ADL has accused protesters supporting Palestinian rights — including left-wing Jewish groups — of promoting anti-Semitism.

Earlier this month, the ADL featured on its website a Jewish insider story slamming CBS News for interviewing Josh Paul and Hala Rharrit, two former US officials who quit their government jobs as a protest against Washington’s support for Israel’s war on Gaza.

The article emphasised a vague connection that Paul and Rharrit have with the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a civil rights group.

Last year, Greenblatt slammed members of then-President Joe Biden’s administration for meeting with Osama Siblani, the publisher of the Michigan-based Arab American News, over what he called “sympathy” for Hezbollah and Hamas.

The ADL has also been an uncompromising supporter of Israel’s war on Gaza, which rights groups and United Nations advocates have described as a genocide.

Ayoub said it is easy to get behind the ADL’s “mission on paper”: to fight hatred and bigotry. But more people are becoming aware of the group’s actual positions, he added.

“We’re starting to see a crack in their support, and we’re starting to see people call them out, especially on things like defending Elon Musk at the speed at which they did,” Ayoub told Al Jazeera.

The ADL did not respond to Al Jazeera’s request for comment by the time of publication.

On Tuesday, Bend the Arc, a progressive Jewish group, started circulating a petition calling for the ADL to retract its defence of Musk.

“The ADL claims to be an expert on antisemitism,” the petition reads.

“They are quick to defame pro-Palestinian students, Black and brown elected officials, writers, and professors over accusations of antisemitism. But when the world’s wealthiest man performed a Nazi salute while the world watched, they came to his defense?”