On Victory in Europe Day, a date commemorating the end of Nazi tyranny in WWII, rapper Ye (formerly Kanye West) released what many are calling the most disturbing work of his career: a music video titled “Heil Hitler.”
The track features a chorus of Black men chanting “Nigga, Heil Hitler” while adorned in tribal pelts, blending grotesque historical inversion with inflammatory shock tactics. It ends with actual audio from a Hitler speech and includes antisemitic lyrics like, “All my niggas Nazis,” and “So I became a Nazi, yeah, bitch, I’m the villain.”
Posted to X on Thursday morning, the video was immediately condemned across the political and cultural spectrum. Critics say the song openly embraces Nazi ideology while weaponizing Ye’s personal grievances—including his loss of child custody and frozen bank accounts—into a grotesque narrative of victimhood and vengeance.
The video serves as the latest chapter in Ye’s disturbing spiral. His new album WW3 is packed with offensive track titles like “Gas Chambers” and “Hitler Ye and Jesus.” The album art features swastika-inspired symbols and robed figures resembling Klan members—clear provocations meant to stir outrage and attention.
Once a generational music icon, West has become an unrecognizable figure—wrapped in controversy, estranged from his industry peers, and increasingly aligned with white nationalist figures like Nick Fuentes.
The backlash has been swift. The American Jewish Committee labeled the song “blatant antisemitism,” urging the music world to speak out. Fans, too, are expressing heartbreak and horror at the public unraveling of an artist who once stood at the pinnacle of pop culture.
Despite being banned from streaming platforms, West insists he will perform “Heil Hitler” live on tour. “I’m doing it at all my shows,” he defiantly posted.
Whether this signals a psychological unraveling, a strategic pursuit of infamy, or something even more sinister, one thing is clear: Ye is no longer just a controversial artist—he’s entered the realm of cultural arsonist, burning bridges, legacies, and moral boundaries with reckless glee.