Kanye West has acknowledged that he was under the influence of alcohol when he posted an antisemitic tweet in October 2022 that led to a significant backlash and loss of business partnerships.
The confession came during a recent episode of Candace Owens’ podcast, “Candace,” which was recorded in 2022 but aired on Wednesday.
In the podcast, West, 47, revealed, “I was drinking when I put up the DEFCON tweet,” referring to his tweet where he threatened to go “death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE.” The rapper, who legally changed his name to Ye in 2021, added that he had consumed Hennessy, suggesting that the alcohol contributed to his erratic behaviour. “It turns us grey. The demons [come out],” he said.
West explained that he had not previously mentioned this detail to avoid having his statements “discredited,” maintaining that he still believed his words to be “truth.”
This incident is not West’s first attempt to blame alcohol for his controversial actions. In 2015, he addressed his 2009 MTV Video Music Awards interruption of Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech, attributing part of his behaviour to alcohol consumption.
“If I had to do it all over again… I would have drunk half a bottle of Hennessy and given the rest to the audience,” West said while accepting the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award.
The fallout from West’s October 2022 tweet was immediate and severe. The tweet led to his suspension from Twitter, now known as X, and resulted in the loss of significant business deals with brands like Adidas, Balenciaga, and Gap. Adidas condemned West’s remarks:
“Ye’s recent comments and actions have been unacceptable, hateful and dangerous, and they violate the company’s values of diversity and inclusion, mutual respect and fairness.”
Despite his apology for causing “hurt” and “confusion,” West’s controversies have persisted. He went on a 10-minute antisemitic rant in Las Vegas shortly after the tweet and was later seen wearing a shirt with a neo-Nazi figure’s face on it.
Additionally, former employees have accused West of praising Adolf Hitler and making favourable remarks about Nazi propaganda during meetings.
West’s actions have generated controversy, reflecting ongoing concerns about his behaviour and statements.
