Kanye “Ye” West has said many things in his career, some downright strange, but nothing compares to his recent bouts of antisemitic comments. Particularly shocking are his statements on a recent podcast with Alex Jones on The Alex Jones Show on his website InfoWars, where the rapper shares his sympathies with Adolf Hitler, one of the many remarks which have resulted in a loss of several brand deals and follower support. 

A point of contention between Ye and his fanbase is whether his music should be seen separately from his beliefs and harmful comments. It is common knowledge that the artist suffers from his share of serious mental illness, namely bipolar disorder. Ye, however, argues that he has been misdiagnosed. As fans, the question becomes, does he really believe what he is saying, or is it all a result of mental issues? In any case, the damage has been dealt and Ye does not seem to plan on righting his wrongs, instead choosing to double down.

“I think he does mean what he’s said, he seems so passionate talking about it and he didn’t back down on any of the points he was saying. Even though he’s being criticized, he doesn’t back down,” senior Gian Castro said.

Another controversy becomes whether fans should continue listening to and supporting his music. Ye has long held the title of being one of the most talented artists. Many fans struggle to defend him and the lasting impact he has achieved through music due to his outrageous remarks. His newest song titled “Someday We’ll All Be Free” alludes to his recent actions and beliefs, namely his tweet of going “death con 3 on Jewish people”, even going as far as to sample a section from the Alex Jones podcast.

“You should separate the artist from his beliefs, but only to an extent because he puts his beliefs into his music, which is part of the problem,” junior Samuel Orellana-Rapal said.

In the last few months, Ye’s Twitter has been locked, unlocked and relocked following his antisemitic tirades. Just when fans think it could not get worse for the artist, he decides to up the ante and dig himself a deeper hole. Most recently, Ye’s account was suspended after posting an image of a swastika inside of a Star of David.

No one could have predicted that anyone in the modern era would be caught dead sympathizing with the man responsible for millions of deaths. For this reason, fans believe that Ye is in need of professional assistance and ought to be committed for treatment. Clearly, his mental health is not in check. Some argue that his recent divorce with Kim Kardashian seems to be the catalyst for his self-destructive opinions. Evidently, not all publicity is good publicity, and Ye is the prime example.

“I believe that what Kanye has said is just for attention. Ever since his separation with Kim Kardashian, he hasn’t been on media as much, so maybe this is just a way for him to get people’s attention,” senior Julio Bonjoch said.

It is an unfortunate sight to see a man who was once acclaimed destroy everything they have worked so hard to attain and maintain. Ye went from putting the thoughts of fans into lyrics to preaching unthinkable atrocities.

Listen to the CavsChat segment below to hear some Cavalier opinions about the Kanye controversy.