Kanye West, known as Ye, has been a household name since 2004 when he released The College Dropout. Many popular songs include “Through the Wire,” “Golddigger,” “All Falls Down,” and “Jesus Walks”. These songs broke many stereotypes and sparked controversial discussions; they made people think in new ways. Throughout his career, Kanye has produced 11 albums, all with chart-topping songs.
The beginning of Kanye’s downfall was at the 2009 Video Music Awards (VMAs). As superstar Taylor Swift received her first award, Kanye interrupted, claiming Beyonce should have won instead. This left Taylor Swift in tears. Fast forward to 2016, Kanye marries Kim Kardashian, a huge icon and socialite. It is reported that marital troubles began early on, as Kim was frustrated with Kanye’s erratic behavior on Twitter and at home. These troubles continued, but they reassured the public that their relationship is stable. In July 2020, Kanye began to attack and belittle the Kardashian family on Twitter, and Kim quickly apologized for his actions. Finally, a year later, Kim filed for divorce, ending their marriage in February 2022.
You may not think that this seems too bad yet, and you would not be alone. However, more recently, Kanye’s antisemitic comments were publicized. Along with using slurs, he’s said multiple things which insult the Jewish community.
In early October 2022, Kanye was seen sporting a jacket featuring the slogan “White Lives Matter” on the back. While ironic, this sparked much discussion about his attire; Temple University professor Marc Lamont Hill described his jacket as “disgusting, dangerous, and irresponsible.”
However, things only got worse for Kanye. Later in October, a business executive working under Kanye told CNN that West created a hostile work environment with his obsession regarding Hitler. Kanye claimed that it was incredible how he accumulated so much power, and he also talked about all the great things he and the Nazi Party achieved for the German people. Kanye spoke about reading Hitler’s autobiography and how he deemed it admirable. Kanye thoroughly crossed the line when he posted a picture of a swastika inscribed inside a Star of David on Twitter. He was quickly banned by Elon Musk, as it violated twitter’s policy of inciting violence.
Adidas also ended its partnership with Kanye, terminating his long-lasting shoe line, Yeezy’s. Though this was costly for Adidas, it allowed the brand to dissociate from West’s reputation
Once a famous rapper, Kanye West is now seen as a shell of his former self. It’s safe to say that he ruined his own career.
Sophia Brooks ‘26
