Disgraced rapper Kanye West, who lost access to his social media accounts (temporarily), brand deals, and 50% of his net worth due to numerous antisemitic tirades several months ago, appears to be attempting a redemption arc, with a new Instagram post declaring that he “likes Jewish people again.”
On Saturday morning, West, who was banned from Instagram for several months, shared his first post to his 18 million followers since his account was reinstated.
The Instagram post in question is an image of the 21 Jump Street movie poster, starring Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum, and is accompanied by a short caption.
“Watching Jonah Hill in 21 Jump Street made me like Jewish people again,” wrote West, who also goes by Ye.
“No one should take anger against one or two individuals and transform that into hatred towards millions of innocent people.”
In just one of his antisemitic rants in October 2022, Kanye blamed “Jewish Zionists” for stories of his former wife Kim Kardashian’s relationship with Pete Davidson, whose father was of Jewish descent.
“It’s Jewish Zionists that [are] about that life,” he said at the time. “That’s telling this Christian woman that has four black children to put that out as a message in the media.”
In a similar vein, West again made sweeping antisemitic comments about Jewish people when talking about Jewish American Apparel owner Dov Charney, who refused to print shirts designed by the rapper.
“It’s cause he’s Jewish, and this is my exact point that I’m making,” West had said of Charney. “Jewish people have owned the Black voice. Whether it’s through us wearing the Ralph Lauren shirt, or it’s all of us being signed to a record label, or having a Jewish manager, or being signed to a Jewish basketball team, or doing a movie on a Jewish platform like Disney.”
Did Jonah Hill ‘defeat’ antisemitism?
However, even West’s bizarre about-face regarding antisemitism, which he attributes to Jonah Hill, wasn’t without antisemitic undertones.
“No Christians can be labeled antisemite knowing Jesus is a Jew,” wrote the rapper. “Thank you Jonah Hill, I love you.”
Ye’s Instagram post amassed over 35,300 comments in just four hours, with the responses ranging from supporting the rapper to mocking him, to some people who were seemingly just confused.
“You should watch Schindler’s list next,” wrote one user, as another wrote: “So you’re telling me that this whole time, all you had to do was watch 21 Jump Street?”
“Jonah Hill defeats antisemitism,” another person wrote. “Classic.”
