Kanye West lashed out online after his track “Heil Hitler” was removed from all streaming services on May 8, citing what he called a racial double standard.
Kanye West lashed out on social media after his song “Heil Hitler” was scrubbed from every major streaming platform on May 8, just hours after its release, accusing the industry of censorship and racial bias.
The track, which includes antisemitic lyrics and references to Adolf Hitler, was removed from Spotify, Apple Music, SoundCloud and other digital services shortly after it went live.
Kanye West took to X to express his outrage.
“‘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,’” he posted.
Ye’s comparison to Jewish singer/songwriter Randy Newman’s 1974 song “Rednecks” added fuel to the fire.
Newman’s track, which opens his album Good Old Boys, is billed as a satirical critique of racism in America and includes the chorus “keeping the ni##ers down,” with the full lyrics, including the racial epithet, printed out on Spotify.
Ye’s song, intended as a single from Ye’s upcoming album CUCK, features the phrase “Heil Hitler” repeated in the chorus and includes the line, “I became Nazi yet-h I’m villain.”
The outro reportedly samples a speech by Adolf Hitler. The music video, posted directly to Ye’s X account, includes visual elements that echo his previous antisemitic statements.
Critics and supporters clashed online, with some defending Ye’s right to free speech and others condemning the song’s content as hateful and dangerous.
This incident follows a string of controversies involving Ye’s antisemitic remarks and merchandise, which have led to widespread condemnation and bans from several platforms.
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