Kayne West is one who it seems is never too far from controversy, and this month he has found himself deep in it again following a viral video in which West made a series of antisemitic comments in a rant in Las Vegas. The rapper published an apology for his comments on Christmas Day in which he promised to “learn from the experience.” The Instagram post was published entirely in Hebrew.
This is far from the first time Kanye has been accused of anti-semitism, but the controversial rapper certainly approached this recent situation uniquely. The post in Hebrew published to Instagram (translated via TMZ), apologizes for his recent “unintended outburst” and asks for forgiveness. It reads in full…
I sincerely apologize to the Jewish community for any unintended outburst caused by my words or actions, it was not my intention to hurt or disrespect, and I deeply regret any pain I may have caused. I am committed to starting with myself and learning from this experience to ensure greater sensitivity and understanding in the future. Your forgiveness is important to me, and I am committed to making amends and promoting unity.
West has been under fire from Jewish groups in the past for comments seen as praising Hitler among other things. The singer is also, possibly running for President again, though it's unclear how serious that claim is.
Responses in the comments to the apology range from jokes to questions wondering when Kanye’s new album will arrive. Beyond that, there is a wide variety of responses from people to the apology, some who seem to believe, or at least hope, the apology is legitimate, and those who feel it’s disingenuous, if not an outright prank. West also cleared his Instagram, so the apology is the only post on his page.
Time will tell if West’s statement is meant to be genuine. The decision to post the statement in Hebrew is certainly interesting. It could be seen as symbolic, and an attempt to speak directly to those his statements have impacted. Of course, not all Jewish people read or speak Hebrew, so his decision to post in Hebrew greatly limits the reach of the post.
As mentioned, many of the fans responding to West’s post aren’t interested in his statement, just his music, and there will almost certainly be a lot of ears listening to the new album when it arrives. West’s newest song “Vultures” includes lines referencing West’s accusations of antisemitism. It recently got other stars in hot water when they seemed to be laughing at the lines in a viral video that were also seen as antisemitic.
You can be sure many people will be dissecting the new album to see just what Kanye has to say. It seems unlikely that a man who tends to say controversial things won’t include statements in his music that will get people talking. The album is expected to arrive in January, but it has already been delayed so, time will tell.
