Some have said he is a lyrical genius. Others have defined him as an absolute psychopath. Ye, formerly Kanye, West: arguably one of the 21st century’s greatest singers and songwriters but also one of its most controversial.  

“I think that Kayne West has recently been worsening his reputation by posting immature things on social media. He is retaliating from some experiences in his personal life, resulting in negative feedback from the public,” Victoria Sprecher, freshman, said. 

Although West has had a long, successful career as a rapper in the music industry and is one of America’s most well-known artists, after a series of Anti-Semitic posts on Twitter, which have been taken down, his popularity is plummeting. West began by discussing how he planned to go “death con 3” on Jewish people because they would “black mail anyone [who] opposes [their] agenda.” West tried to defend his statement by saying he could not be Anti-Semitic because he was Black; however, this did not prevent the outrage that unfolded across the nation. On top of this tweet, West has continued to bring up Jewish people throughout various interviews, claiming that they have taken over the media and are undermining the industry, acknowledging his inability to be Anti-Semitic as a Black man each time.  

“Kanye is making baseless accusations that are stereotyping a group of people that he uses his social media and influence to push,” Josh Lerman, junior, said. 

Multiple extremist Anti-Semitic groups have defended West’s comments, using them for propaganda campaigns and claiming them to be a part of their teachings. One group of Neo-Nazis wrote out “Kanye is right about the Jews” on a large sign and hung out from a bridge where they stood and performed the heil Hitler arm symbol. This event was posted all over the media, and outrage ensued, leading to many demanding that all the companies who had partnerships with West drop them immediately. Adidas is the first company to let West go, wanting to show their support for Jewish people and that they did not condone his actions.  

“In a statement Tuesday, the sportswear maker said it ‘does not tolerate antisemitism and any other sort of hate speech’ and said that his recent comments were ‘unacceptable, hateful and dangerous.’ Adidas said they violated the company’s ‘values of diversity and inclusion, mutual respect and fairness,’” Jordan Valinsky, a writer for CNN, said in an article. 

While West’s comments are not excusable, many have pointed out that his crude actions are most likely from his severe decline in mental health. Many have been concerned about West’s evident struggle with mental illness for quite some time, first appearing as an issue after he created a gruesome music video featuring him brutally beheading Pete Davidson who had been dating his ex-wife Kim Kardashian at the time. Though what West has done is not tolerable, his case is raising awareness about prioritizing mental health and how many artists are not getting the help they need simply because it is not the norm to do so or being “psycho” is just their persona. Many in the music industry are beginning to acknowledge the lack of awareness for celebrities struggling with mental health issues, pointing out that asking for help should be encouraged.  

“When you really look at Kanye as a whole, he is acting out of mental illness. Kanye, starting small, made his music real and connected to people, but as the fame consumed him, his mental illness was clouded, and people forgot how he was truly struggling. Now, after his whole family left him, he was ridiculed for his political pursuits, and he has nothing left. The recent activities have been embarrassing and awful to watch, but, in reality, he is not just a narcissist; he is a bipolar man calling out for serious help,” Erin Bradley, senior, said.  

Whether one loves West’s music or hits the skip button anytime his name appears on the screen, his recent actions are inexcusable; however, America can use this to bring attention to not only Anti-Semitism but also mental health in the music industry.