Music News

13 Feb 2023

Karol G Flips Out About Meeting Rihanna At 2023 Super Bowl, Teaching Her Colombian Slang

Karol G has finally met her idol, Rihanna, after the latter performed at the 2023 Super Bowl Halftime Show at the State Farm Arena in Glendale, Arizona on Sunday night (Feb. 12).

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“As a Fan, I have to say that this was the HIGHLIGHT of my entire life!!!,” the Colombian singer captioned an Instagram post. “I hope that when you guys meet your idols, they will be as amazing as she was with me. I LOVE YOU @badgalriri.”

The post shows three photos of the two artists smiling and hugging tight backstage, plus a short video of Karol teaching Riri some Colombian slang. “Hey Riri, how was everything?” Karol asks the Barbadian singer, to which she responds, “fue una chimba!” (“it was amazing!”)

The sweet moment between the two artists happened after Rihanna performed a nearly 15-minute set at SBLVII. Dressed in a curve-hugging red outfit, Riri not only treated viewers to a medley of some of her biggest hits (including “Bitch Better Have My Money,” “Umbrella,” “Diamonds,” and “Only Girl (In the World)”) but also revealed she was pregnant with her second baby. The artist and her partner, A$AP Rocky welcomed their first child in May of 2022.

For Karol, the backstage meetup was a dream come true.

In 2018, she got a tattoo on her arm in honor of her three favorite singers and biggest inspirations: Rihanna, Selena Quintanilla and herself, and on multiple occasions she’s expressed that Rihanna is her dream collaborator. In 2020, Karol manifested meeting RihRih in person when she shared a black-and-white fan art of the two. “Haters will say it’s photoshopped,” she captioned the pic.

See Karol and Rihanna at the 2023 Super Bowl below:

13 Feb 2023

Billy Strings Sets 2023 Summer Headlining Tour

Billy Strings has added a hot streak of summer 2023 tour dates to his schedule, beginning July 13 with a three-night run at Koka Booth Amphitheatre in Cary, North Carolina. The tour is currently slated to wrap up on August 26 at The Orion Amphitheater in Huntsville, Alabama.

Headlining arena tours is rare for a bluegrass act, but Strings is doing just that. Prior to his summer run, Strings is taking his show on a cross-country tour this spring, featuring several arena shows, including three sold-out nights at Nashville, Tennessee’s Bridgestone Arena later this month.

Last year, Strings released the project Me/And/Dad, featuring renditions of classic bluegrass and country tracks recorded alongside his father, Terry Barber. The album was spearheaded by the songs “Life to Go” and “Long Journey Home.” The project followed his 2021 album, Renewal, and his Grammy-winning album Home, which picked up the golden gramophone for best bluegrass album.

Among Strings’ other recent accolades are being named artist of the year at the 2022 Americana Music Honors & Awards, and winning song of the year (“Red Daisy”) at last year’s International Bluegrass Music Awards.

See the full list of new 2023 tour dates below:

July 13 — Cary, NC @ Koka Booth Amphitheatre

July 14 — Cary, NC @ Koka Booth Amphitheatre

July 15 — Cary, NC @ Koka Booth Amphitheatre

July 19 — Norfolk, VA @ Chartway Arena

July 21 — Bridgeport, CT @ Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater

July 22 — Essex Junction, VT @ Midway Lawn at Champlain Valley Expo

July 23 — Essex Junction, VT @ Midway Lawn at Champlain Valley Expo

July 25 — Boston, MA @ Leader Bank Pavilion

July 26 — Boston, MA @ Leader Bank Pavilion

July 28 — Portland, ME @ Thompson’s Point

July 29 — Portland, ME @ Thompson’s Point

July 30 — Newport, RI @ Newport Folk Festival (sold out)

August 7 — Frankfurt, Germany @ Batschkapp

August 8 — Berlin, Germany @ Huxleys

August 9 — Hamburg, Germany @ Grobe Freiheit 36

August 24 — Knoxville, TN @ Knoxville Civic Coliseum

August 25 — Huntsville, AL @ The Orion Amphitheater

August 26 — Huntsville, AL @ The Orion Amphitheatre

13 Feb 2023

Rihanna’s Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show: SZA, Karol G & More Musicians React

At long last, Rihanna made grand return to the stage — the world’s biggest one, by the way — and her fans couldn’t have been more excited. And because she’s Rihanna, her fanbase happens to include some of the biggest names in music, from Karol G to SZA, both of whom shared their post-Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show praise on social media on Sunday night (Feb. 12).

“The HITS RIH HAS…,” tweeted “Kill Bill” musician SZA. “Low key endless . So inspiring !”

Karol G, meanwhile, was lucky enough to be in the house at Glendale Arizona’s State Farm Stadium — where the Kansas City Chiefs triumphed over the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35 — to congratulate the Fenty Beauty founder in person. “As a Fan, I have to say that this was the HIGHLIGHT of my entire life!!!” wrote the Latin music star in Spanish on Instagram, sharing photos of her and Rih posing adorably together.

“I hope when you guys meet your idols, they’re as awesome as she was with me. I LOVE YOU.”

Many more artists, including Christina Aguilera, Diplo, Dionne Warwick and Fifth Harmony’s Dinah Jane, also shared congratulations following Rihanna’s extravagant medley of Super Bowl-curated hits, a performance that marked the pop star’s first live show in nearly six years.

Strutting down a light-up runway and soaring above the crowd on a floating platform, Rih belted out beloved hits including “Only Girl (In the World),” “We Found Love,” “Umbrella” and “Diamonds” while debuting her brand new baby bump; reps later confirmed that she and partner A$AP Rocky are in fact expecting Baby No. 2.

Check out SZA, Karol G, and more musicians’ reactions to Rihanna’s epic Super Bowl Halftime set below:

13 Feb 2023

Missy Elliott Talks Hitting Top 20 on Billboard / Vibe’s Greatest Rappers of All-Time List: ‘I Feel Blessed’

As Billboard / VIBE’s 50 Greatest Rappers of All-Time list continues to spark debate amongst fans and rappers on social media, Missy Elliott expressed her gratitude about making it into the top 20 with during a chat with Billboard.

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“Oh man, being on a list like that with the names I saw, sometimes you still have to pinch yourself,” says Missy, who entered the tally at No. 19. “Sometimes, even if you think you’re great, you still look around and see so many icons and legends in this list, and you’re just humbled to be a part of that list. And to be in the top 20 when talking about that many people. I am blessed. I am thankful, and yeah, it feels good. It most definitely feels good, especially when you work hard. I was thinking of something Lil Wayne said the other night along the lines of just being acknowledged. That is everything to an artist.”

Missy also just participated in the GRAMMY’s HipHop50 performance, which included a sea of heralded icons including Grandmaster Flash, LL Cool J, Ice-T, Nelly, Run-D.M.C., GloRilla and many more. From a fan perspective, it was a one-of-a-kind experience for Missy, who relished watching some of her favorites perform as much as she loved sharing the stage with them.

“It was such nostalgia because I remember sitting in my living room and watching Public Enemy and Eric B. and Rakim and De La Soul and [Queen] Latifah and Salt-N-Pepa and once again, just like that [Billboard] list I am a part of this 50-year hip-hop tribute. And I tell you — this is no lie — no matter how many awards or accolades I have collected, I still pinch myself when I’m in those spaces because those people are so legendary to me,” she said. 

On Sunday night (Feb. 12), Missy starred alongside Jack Harlow in a Doritos Super Bowl commercial that left the “First Class” MC similarly starstruck. “[She’s] completely down to Earth and an open book,” raved Harlow about Elliott. “She left me inspired.”

You can watch the full commercial here.

13 Feb 2023

Jason Aldean to Launch 2023 Highway Desperado Tour in July

Jason Aldean will return to the road in July, headlining his 2023 Highway Desperado Tour.

Aldean will welcome “We Got History” singer Mitchell Tenpenny, “Wild as Her” hitmaker Corey Kent, and Dee Jay Silver on the 41-date tour, which kicks off July 14 in Bethel, New York at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts. The Live Nation-produced trek is currently scheduled to wind down on Oct. 28 in Tampa, Florida at the MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre.

Kent and Tenpenny also announced their opening slots on the tour, with Tenpenny saying, “We can finally announce this tour!! We can’t wait to be on the road with @Jason_Aldean! This tour is going to freaking rock! Let’s get it! See y’all on the the road…”

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Kent added, “Stoked to announce that I’ll be joining @jasonaldean and @m10penny & @deejaysilver1 on the Highway Desperado Tour!”

Aldean’s “That’s What Tequila Does” is currently at No. 8 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart, and the track is included on Aldean’s 2022 double album Macon, Georgia. The project also features Aldean’s Country Airplay three-week chart-topper (and Grammy-nominated track) “If I Didn’t Love You,” with Carrie Underwood, as well as the three-week Country Airplay chart-topper “Trouble With a Heartbreak.”

Aldean’s raucous live shows have thrice earned him the Academy of Country Music’s entertainer of the year honor, and in 2019, he earned the Academy of Country Music’s Dick Clark artist of the decade award. Aldean previously told Billboard of the pride he takes in selecting openers for his tours–a few of his previous tour openers have included Kane Brown, Luke Bryan and Eric Church.

“We have a pretty good track record with that,” Aldean said. “There’s a chalk board in that room over there in my manager’s office. Every year we’ll have all the names on the chalk board, every artist on every label that is available, that we think is a possibility. We spend a lot of time making sure we get the best options we can, someone we think is going to work with our crowd and take off in the next year.”

Tickets for Aldean’s Highway Desperado Tour go on sale Friday (Feb. 17) at 10 a.m. local venue time. See the full dates below.

July 14 – Bethel, NY @ Bethel Woods Center for the Arts

July 15 – Hartford, CT @ Xfinity Theatre

July 16 – Saratoga Springs, NY @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center

July 20 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH @ Blossom Music Center

July 21 – Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center

July 27 – Columbia, MD @ Merriweather Post Pavilion^

July 28 – Hershey, PA @ Hersheypark Stadium

July 29 – Mansfield, MA @ Xfinity Center

August 4 – Charleston, SC @ Credit One Stadium

August 5 – Atlanta, GA @ Lakewood Amphitheatre

August 6 – Tuscaloosa, AL @ Tuscaloosa Amphitheater

Thu Aug 10 – Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion

Fri Aug 11 – Raleigh, NC – Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek

Fri Aug 18 – Sioux Falls, SD – Denny Sanford PREMIER Center

Sat Aug 19 – Welch, MN – Treasure Island Amphitheater*

Thu Aug 24 – Estero, FL – Hertz Arena

Fri Aug 25 – Jacksonville, FL – VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena

Sat Aug 26 – Orange Beach, AL – The Wharf Amphitheater

Sept. 7 – Toronto, ON @ Budweiser Stage

Fri Sep 08 – Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre

Sept. 9 – Tinley Park, IL @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre

Sept. 14 – Rogers, AR @ Walmart AMP

Sept. 15 – St. Louis, MO @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre

Sept. 16 –Noblesville, IN @ Ruoff Music Center

Sept. 21 – Wheatland, CA @ Toyota Amphitheatre

Sept. 22 – Portland, OR @ RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater

Sept. 23 – Auburn, WA @ White River Amphitheatre

Sept. 28 – Mountain View, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheatre

Sept. 29 – Irvine, CA @ FivePoint Amphitheatre

Sept. 30 – San Bernardino, CA @ Glen Helen Amphitheater

Oct. 5 – Phoenix, AZ @ Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre

Oct. 6 – Albuquerque, NM @ Isleta Amphitheater

Oct. 7 – Denver, CO @ Ball Arena

Oct. 12 – Kansas City, MO @ T-Mobile Center+

Oct. 13 – Oklahoma City, OK @ Paycom Center

Oct. 14 – Fort Worth, TX @ Dickies Arena

Oct. 19 – Columbus, OH @ Nationwide Arena

Oct. 20 – Louisville, KY @ KFC Yum! Center

Oct. 21 – Toledo, OH @ Huntington Center

Oct. 27 – West Palm Beach, FL @ iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre

Oct. 28 – Tampa, FL @ MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre

13 Feb 2023

Neil Young to Return to Stage With Stephen Stills For ‘Light Up the Blues’ Autism Fundraiser

Neil Young will make his long-awaited return to the stage on April 22 when he joins former CSN&& bandmate Stephen Stills at this year’s Light Up the Blues charity show benefitting Autism Speaks. The show at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles will find Young sharing the stage with his longtime friend Stephen Stills, as well as Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real and Still’s children, Chris and Oliver Stills.

Rolling Stone first reported that the news, with Young telling the magazine in a statement that, “We’ll be there to ‘Light up the Blues’ with Stephen, [his wife] Kristen and the family… doing or first show in four years with old friends for our autistic people around the world.” Stills confirmed the news on Instagram, writing, “Save the date: April 22, 2023. Stills and Young ride again.”

Among the other musicians scheduled to be stage is James Raymond, who will be part of a tribute to his late dad, David Crosby, who died in January at age 81.

“We are so thrilled to be able to come back and support Autism Speaks,” event organizer Kristen Stills told the magazine about the sixth iteration of the show since 2013; in the past the fundraiser has featured sets from Crosby, Stills & Nash, Patti Smith, Brandi Carlile, Beck, Sheryl Crow and others. “The one thing that did not change during the pandemic was the rising rates of autism prevalence in the U.S. They require more funding than ever for the research they do. Stephen and I join them in their mission to create a more inclusive world for people with autism,” added Kristen Stills.

Stephen Stills said the show was originally scheduled for April 2020 — and then called off due to the COVID-19 pandemic — before organizers considered a virtual event in 2021 before that idea was mothballed. “I always hated the idea of a virtual show,” Stephen Stills said. “The only one that pulled it off was the Stephen Colbert band with Jon Batiste. Everyone else tried, but it was a joke.”

More acts will be added in the upcoming weeks, with Kristen Stills promising some “fantastic guests” and “surprise additions,” as well as some big-name hosts. Among the other acts slated to participate are opera singer Amanda Anderson, rapper Soul Shocka and former The Voice contestant Bill Breman, all of who are on the spectrum.

See Stills’ post below.

13 Feb 2023

BTS‘ Jimin Says Solo Album Dropping Soon: ’I’m Currently Preparing Lots of Things’

BTS‘ Jimin is getting ready to finally unleash his solo debut. In a Weverse stream on Friday, the K-pop superstar revealed that he’s planning to drop his first solo collection next month. In a translation of the chat provided by Soompi, Jimin said, “I think the album I’ve been working on is going to drop in around March. I’m currently preparing lots of things that I can do together with you guys around that time. I’m planning lots of different kinds of things we can do to have fun together and enjoy ourselves, so I think you can safely look forward to it.”

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Jimin is riding high at the moment thanks to his hit collaboration with Big Bang’s Taeyang, “Vibe,” which recently gave each singer their first Hot 100 solo hit when the song debuted at No. 76 on the Jan. 28-date chart.

In the midst of BTS’ current pause, during which the group’s seven members are either releasing solo material or preparing to enter the South Korean military for their mandatory service stint, Jimin is gearing up to to be the latest band member to drop a solo album. At press time a spokesperson for Jimin had not returned Billboard‘s request for additional information on the album or its release date.

To date, Jimin has released the solo songs “Lie” (2016), “Intro: Serendipity” (2017), “Filter” (2020) and his 2022 collaboration with Ha Sung-woon on the Our Blues soundtrack song, “With You.” So far, J-Hope, Jin and RM have released solo music, with Suga, Jung Kook and V all saying they are also planning to break out with as-yet-unscheduled solo collections.

13 Feb 2023

Sheryl Lee Ralph on Stunning Super Bowl Performance, ‘Abbott Elementary,‘ Lip-Sync Chatter: ’It Doesn’t Matter’

For those who wondered if Sheryl Lee Ralph lip-synced during her Super Bowl performance, her response: “Does it matter? Does it matter? No. Thank you.”

The Emmy-winning actress-singer made the comments to The Hollywood Reporter on Sunday (Feb. 12) following her performance of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” at the State Farm Arena in Glendale, Arizona.

She said she was feeling a high of positivity following the performance. “It’s just so amazing that they chose me. And then the Eagles are in the Super Bowl. I mean, come on. You know God must be a woman because all of this is just too perfect,” Ralph said.

“Just amazing, just stunning,” she continued. “And the way people have been coming back, they said, ‘Girl, you made the pre-show look like it was trying to be halftime.’ They said, ‘The costume. The wardrobe. The hair. The shoes. The makeup.’ I was just like, ‘Well, thank you. Fenty of it all, hey.’”

The entertainer, 66, performed the Black National Anthem on the same date it was first publicly performed 123 years ago: February 12, 1900. She said she was happy to make history at the Super Bowl, which took place during Black History Month.

“Abbott Elementary takes place in Philadelphia. My husband is a senator in Philadelphia. And this year the Eagles [went] to the Super Bowl — I had already been chosen to sing,” she said. After Ralph hit her last note, the camera panned to her Abbott Elementary co-stars, creator Quinta Brunson and Lisa Ann Walter, who proudly cheered her on.

“It is absolute magic because Quinta literally chose me for this moment. She said, ‘Mrs. Ralph, they’re sleeping on your talent, but I’m not. Come take this journey with me.’ And everything that she said was going to happen. Here I am. It’s crazy,” said Ralph, who won an Emmy for her role as kindergarten teacher Barbara Howard on the series. “This was a bit of a cherry on top. We’re a bit taken back by all of this. It’s amazing. We’re happy. We’re so happy.”

Ralph has appeared in a number of TV shows and films, and earned a Tony nomination for her role on Broadway’s Dreamgirls. She said she’s enjoying the wild ride she’s been on since the debut and major success of Abbott Elementary.

“All I can do is thank God — that God would deliver me all these flowers at this point in my career. There’s so many people that have written me off and said, ‘Well, that’s it for her.’ And if it had been, that’s all for me, everybody would’ve said, ‘Well, she had a great career.’ But now it’s going from great to OK, that’s pretty damn amazing. How fantastic,” she said.

“OK, my God, what’s she going to do next? Produce a blockbuster? Act in a blockbuster? Who’s she going to play? Is she going to be a superhero? Because obviously she can do what we are not expecting,” she added.

This article originally appeared on The Hollywood Reporter.

13 Feb 2023

Rihanna Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show: Exec Producer Jesse Collins Says ‘I Feel Like Her Vision Was Executed’

TV producer Jesse Collins said there was some pressure following last year’s epic, Emmy-winning Super Bowl halftime show with Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and more, but working with Rihanna made the process easy.

“She’s a lot of fun, very cool, never stressed. Just like, ‘All right, I’m going to go do this real quick.’ The pressure never got to her. She just was in it from day one, and really warm and let everybody have fun with it,” Collins told The Hollywood Reporter moments after Rihanna blazed the stage Sunday at the State Farm Arena in Glendale, Arizona.

“I think there’s always pressure with this show,” added Collins, who also produced The Weeknd’s 2021 halftime show. “You work so hard, six months for 13 minutes. [This was] an opportunity to work with a global superstar and her re-entry into music.”

Rihanna last performed live at the 2018 Grammy Awards. Before that, she was on the road promoting her album Anti, released in 2016.

Collins won the outstanding variety show (live) Emmy for last year’s halftime show alongside Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, 50 Cent and Jay-Z, who also produced the spectacle. He has also produced the Grammy Awards, Academy Awards, Golden Globes, BET Awards, American Music Awards and more.

Rihanna’s performance — where she announced she was pregnant — was exciting and energetic, and she sang a number of her popular hits, including “Work,” “Diamonds” and “Umbrella.”

“I just feel great,” he said of Rihanna’s show. “I feel like her vision was executed. She shocked the world and the Navy’s [Rihanna’s fans] happy, and I’m just glad we got another great one in the books.

“We couldn’t have a massive stage on the field because of the grass and so they put it in the air and it was just brilliant,” he added. “It was just a great idea of where there’s a will, there’s a way.”

This article originally appeared on The Hollywood Reporter.

13 Feb 2023

Kanye West’s Rants Tied to 30 Nationwide Antisemitic Incidents: Anti-Defamation League Report

In a report out Monday (Feb. 13), the Anti-Defamation League chronicles 30 antisemitic incidents over the past several months that the group said directly referenced a string of hateful, anti-Jewish comments made by disgraced rapper Kanye West.

“These incidents — which include vandalism, banner drops, targeted harassment and campus propaganda distributions — demonstrate the ongoing influence of Ye’s conspiratorial, bigoted rants,” read the report from the nation’s oldest anti-hate organization. The report includes a lengthy list of episodes that took place across the country during, or in the wake of, West’s monthslong spree of interviews and statements amplifying antisemitic stereotypes and hate speech.

“Immediately following Ye’s antisemitic comments, which included inflammatory tropes about Jewish power and Holocaust denial, the slogan ‘Ye Is Right’ surfaced online in hashtags and antisemitic accounts,” read the ADL’s report. “The ADL Center on Extremism has also tracked references to ‘Ye Is Right’ in instances of on-the-ground antisemitic vandalism and harassment nationwide.”

And while the ADL said only some of the incidents were perpetrated by people who are known extremists, they demonstrate how references to the rapper (who now goes by Ye) were often paired with swastikas or other antisemitic slurs “[and]have become mainstream shorthand for the hatred of — or a desire to commit violence against – Jewish people.”

“Kanye West’s repeated antisemitic remarks – and his dredging up some of the worst anti-Jewish tropes imaginable – doubtlessly are having an impact and inspiring people to commit real-world acts of hate,” said Jonathan Greenblatt, ADL CEO in a statement to Billboard. “As we have long maintained, celebrities and others who engage in spreading hateful tropes need to know their words have consequences. Unfortunately, Kanye’s decision to continue to peddle hatred against Jews is only giving encouragement to people who are already infected with hate.”

At press time, Billboard was unable to reach a spokesperson for Ye. In the wake of his public outbursts, the rapper has since been dropped by his record label, publicists, lawyers, fashion collaborators and brand partners in one of the swiftest, most thorough downfalls of a major pop-culture figure in recent memory.

In January, Billboard spoke to a number of experts about the whether Ye’s offensive rhetoric signaled a potential rising wave of hate and intolerance in the nation. A number suggested that they have helped to normalize the spreading of such hate speech by mainstream media personalities.

Among the events the ADL lists as being inspired by Ye’s comments:

  • A January “Yes is right, change my mind” series of college campus gatherings by the white supremacist Groypers organization during which extremists peddled “Holocaust denial and praise Hitler, all under the auspices of defending Ye’s antisemitic comments and outbursts.” The ADL said the events were part of a “road trip” largely organized by Groypers Tyler Russell and Dalton Clodfelter — known for their antisemitic and white supremacist rhetoric — during which they claimed the ADL were “trying to take away” people’s bank accounts and stifling free speech.
  • Ye’s outbursts coincided with Elon Musk’s purchase of Twitter in late October, with the ADL noting an increase in antisemitic posts on the platform and a decrease in moderation of such posts. The group reported that since Oct. 1, 2022, there have been more than 9,400 Twitter mentions using, or referencing, the “Ye Is Right” slogan; those posts reached five million users, spawning 19,300 likes and more than 5,000 retweets.
  • A long string of antisemitic incidents — including vandalism and harassment — at K-12 schools, colleges and universities, Jewish institutions, public areas and commercial locations. A list of a dozen incidents from Oct. 11 to Dec. 23 in Wisconsin, California, Florida, New York, Massachusetts, Illinois, North Carolina and Texas included someone scrawling “Kanye was right” and “Defcon III” on a sidewalk on the University of Wisconsin campus; the phrases “Kanye West is right” and “Kill All Jews” along with a three swastikas written on the wall of a high school bathroom; the phrase “Blacks are the real Jews!” and “Kanye is Right” on the welcome sign at a Bronx Orthodox synagogue; the phrase “I stand with Ye & Kyrie” on a wall of thanks at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport; a swastika and “I love Kanye” drawn in chalk at a high school by a student in West Palm Beach.
  • Ye’s comments have also resulted in a number of people and organizations being harassed. Among the ones chronicled by the ADL: antisemitic phone calls and email received by the Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust after it offered Ye a tour to learn about hate speech; a Jewish-owned restaurant in Los Angeles getting a call asking for “the Kanye special” before saying “death to all the Jews”; an alleged assault on an elderly Jewish man in New York’s Central Park by a 32-year-old man who yelled, “F–k you, Jew!” and “Kanye 2024“; the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh received a call from an unknown individual identifying themselves as West who said, “I hate all Jewish people. All of them must burn and die. I love Hitler. I love Hitler.”
  • The embrace of Ye’s rhetoric by a number of known extremist and antisemitic groups who’ve leveraged “his comments to further their own agendas and promote antisemitic claims and conspiracy theories.” Among the examples were a series of incidents in which the Goyim Defense League, along with White Lives Matter and the NatSoc Florida, dropped antisemitic banners supporting Ye in California, New York and Florida, as well as a widely reported incident in which a laser projector was used to beam antisemitic messages onto buildings at TIAA Bank Field after the Georgia/Florida football game in Jacksonville, including one that read “Kanye is right about the Jews.”

*Editor’s Note: After an Oct. 8, 2022, tweet in which he announced he was going “death con [sic] 3 on Jewish people,” Kanye West (Ye) has repeatedly doubled down on antisemitic hate speech, even going so far as to praise Hitler, a man responsible for the systematic murder of six million Jews during the Holocaust. This arrives at a troubling time when antisemitism is on the rise, with the Anti-Defamation League noting a 34% year-over-year increase in antisemitic incidents (assault, harassment and vandalism) in America in 2021. Many companies have cut business ties with the rapper/fashion designer, while numerous musicians, friends and politicians have condemned his comments.