Topline
Kanye West targeted at least a dozen celebrities this week—including Jay-Z, Beyoncé and their children—preceding the release of his new album “Bully,” but his increasingly wild social media antics seem to be drawing less attention than they used to.
Kanye West targeted at least a dozen celebrities in social media rants this week. (Photo by Scott … [+]
Key Facts
West made a series of bizarre posts apparently targeting Jay-Z and Beyoncé, even their younger children.
The rapper deleted those posts, but later posted he regretted taking them down and said: “If Twitter take my s**t down them [sic] so be it but I need yall to no [sic] Jay Z or nobody have no power over me.”
West targeted rapper Playboi Carti in multiple posts, accusing him of domestic violence and criticizing the rapper for allegedly asking West’s daughter, North West, to contribute vocals to his new album while not asking West himself to feature on the album (Playboi Carti was arrested for allegedly choking his pregnant girlfriend in 2023, but denied the allegations through his lawyers).
In another shot at Playboi Carti, West also posted a request to him and rapper Iggy Azalea for their son to feature on one of his songs on which West would “rap about one of your businesses.”
Despite West’s frequent rants, few of the celebrities he targeted responded and his posts about his album appeared to gain little attention online and in the media.
Has Anyone Responded To Kanye West’s Rants?
Playboi Carti posted,“YE STFU,” early Wednesday morning. His post was liked more than 313,000 times, vastly more than any of West’s X rants. Azalea responded to West’s post about her son, stating: “Ye, I understand the point you want to make. I say this with kindness & as a mother: Please, leave my child out of this.” Azalea said her son is too young to read West’s social media posts, but said it leaves a “digital legacy & an odd (sh—y) situation for him to one day discover.”
Who Else Has Kanye West Targeted?
West again attempted to wade into Kendrick Lamar and Drake’s rap beef, which also involved other figures including Metro Boomin and Future. In now-deleted posts made earlier this week, West said he “HAAAAAATED” Lamar’s hit diss track, “Not Like Us,” and he accused Future and Metro Boomin of ignoring his calls after he wrote a verse for a remix of their song, “Like That.” West also used homophobic slurs aimed at Drake in now-deleted posts. West also targeted his ex-wife, Kim Kardashian, alleging with no evidence she was exploiting their children in a now-deleted, all-caps post.
What Do We Know About Kanye West’s New Album?
West released his new album, “Bully,” in the form of a short film at midnight Wednesday. He posted the link to a password-protected file containing multiple versions of the short film. The album does not appear to be available elsewhere, including on streaming platforms. It’s unclear whether West plans to release the album on streaming platforms, as he has previously condemned streamers as “piracy.”
Key Background
West’s latest social media rants come amid a renewed wave of controversy for the rapper and former billionaire, who fell from grace in 2022 after making a series of antisemitic comments that motivated Adidas and other business collaborators to cut ties with him. In recent weeks, he has faced renewed accusations of antisemitism and faced criticism for other bizarre behavior, including wearing a swastika T-shirt in public and selling them on his website, as well as launching frequent (and often quickly deleted) social media tirades. In some of West’s recent posts, he has made remarks praising the Holocaust and disparaging Jewish people: He posted “I LOVE HITLER NOW WHAT B*****ES,” “Hitler was sooooo fresh” and “IM A NAZI” last month. West was also sued by a former Yeezy staffer last month, who alleged he sent her pornographic material, called her a “bitch” and other insults, and sent her antisemitic texts, including: ““Welcome to the first day of working for Hitler,” “Hail Hitler” and “I AM A NAZI.”
Further Reading
Kanye West Sued By Ex-Yeezy Staffer For Comparing Himself To Hitler, Calling Himself A Nazi (Forbes)
Kanye West Wears Swastika T-Shirt Around Los Angeles, Report Says (Forbes)
