Kan - yay or nay? Should he be banned?

[Drpawpawspaw]

So, Kanye West blocked from the UK over comments and behaviour he apologises for now.

Thoughts? Is it excused because of his claimed MH issues at time?

He should absolutely be banned. This was no one-off mistake, and mental health cannot be cited as an excuse imo. The man is deeply antisemitic, and as such, I don't think he should be welcome here.

He is now banned and Wireless is cancelled too

Jeez I hadn’t seen that! Not going to shed any tears over Live Nation losing a few quid though. Dreadful outfit!

I’d also say that even if you accept his mental health issues, that does not excuse his record label, his promoters nor Wireless for enabling him…. Think about it - they are also to blame for allowing his music to be published and spread and his views, his merch etc.

I think it's worth watching Trevor Noah's little chat about it. I know nothing about Kanye's issues but Trevor does appear to and urges MH awareness.

Like the recent BAFTA issue, the needs and rights and feeling of both 'groups' should be considered. And protected.

This. It’s just totally naive to put this all down to mental health and issue blanket forgiveness. If Kanye’s mental health was the problem, then it’s certainly being exploited to the max.

I am vehemently anti-Israel but can also see a dark, nasty anti-semitism at play here in glorifying and celebrating him as a performer at this moment in time.

As a Jew, his comment (after lots of blathering on) “if you’re open, I’m here” seems so fucking arrogant.

I believe all his history shows he is deeply anti semitic. I also believe, in fact I know, that Jewish people will now get even more shit from ignorant people blaming us for Wireless being cancelled. Anti semites will be happy they can use the cancellation as an excuse to use to abuse us which is deeply depressing. I guess it makes a change from Israel being the excuse.

I think if you’ve not experienced anti semitism it’s hard and maybe impossible to fully understand quite how depressing this whole thing is, especially at the moment. This doesn’t feel like a vindication or a triumph that he’s been refused, it feels like just another negative event.

The fact companies like Pepsi etc were on board to start with is telling. This shouldn’t have happened in the first place.

He has been banned thank fuck.

Forgot to quote so will repost.

There is fuck all similarities in these two situations. You say yourself you are ignorant of the facts. If you acquaint yourself, you’ll probably feel a bit embarrassed about this post.

What are your thoughts by the way? You started this thread so it’s kind of etiquette to share. As well as reducing the risk of people think you are a journalist trawling for content…

If he was ill why was his record label releasing tracks like heil hitler? Why was his merchandise with swastikas made and sold?

If his mental health has stabilised, why has his focus been on selling new music? Why isn’t he holding to account those people who exploited and “collaborated” with him when he was unwell? Why hasn’t he withdrawn his antisemitic content from streaming, pulped anything that remains. Disavowed fucking actual nazis like Nick Fuentes and Andrew Tate filming themselves dancing to Heil Hitler? Apologised to African Americans (well black people in general) for his comments on slavery and racism. Why is his first mention of meeting with affected communities done in public rather than private grief and reconciliation.

It all stinks.

No problem, just wanted uninfluenced opinions before I waded in with mine!

Whilst I do have certain sympathies with artists being censored, I just don’t buy the MH excuse on this one. He profited - as did his label/management- over a sustained period of time off the back of deeply antisemitic and hateful behaviour.

Shedding no tears over it, I think it was the right decision ultimately.

And Wireless Festival is no great loss, it’s always trouble.

He’s a prat. Why are we worrying about a clearly unwell rap artist shouting nonsense?

All the other people in the record production company were also suffering from mental illness? They all need to know this is unacceptable.

Thank you for answering. I am pro free speech and against censorship myselfas a rule, but KW has very much crossed the line of free speech into anti semitism, inciting violence and various others.

The man wrote, produced and released a song called ‘Heil Hitler’, it’s unlikely a bi-polar episode would last long enough, and leave him lucid enough to complete that. Australia banned him in 2025. Wireless festival organisers and people who brought tickets based on his appearance were at best naive, and at worst nazi sympathiser's. Im pleased the UK have taken a stand against a fascist and his enablers.