Kanye West, also known as Ye, has released a new song titled "Heil Hitler," along with a music video that contains elements that have sparked a number of controversies.
In the video, a group of black men, dressed in animal skins, chant phrases such as "N****r, heil Hitler," while West sings "I became a Nazi, I'm the villain."
The first phrase implies a mix between the expression used to discriminate against people of color and the greeting that was once given to the infamous German leader.
At the end of the song, a fragment of a speech by Adolf Hitler from 1935 is used. The song was released on May 8, 2025, the day of Victory in Europe over Nazism, causing strong reactions for the moment chosen to share this song, as many countries that have suffered the tyranny of the German leader celebrate his downfall.
In a post on the X platform (formerly Twitter), West explained that the song was inspired by anger over losing custody of his children and having his bank account frozen.
"These people took my children and froze my bank account, I have so much anger inside me."
The song's release has sparked strong reactions from the Jewish community and organizations fighting anti-Semitism. The video has been removed from several platforms for violating anti-hate policies, but continues to circulate on some websites.
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