Most Talked-About Controversies Linked to Kanye West
Public opinion and media debates around Kanye West—discover key moments of controversy.
Kanye West, now known as Ye, is an influential American rapper and record producer celebrated for his diverse musical style and often controversial cultural and political opinions. Initially a producer for Chicago artists, he gained prominence at Roc-A-Fella Records, contributing to albums like Jay-Z's The Blueprint (2001). His debut album, The College Dropout (2004), was critically acclaimed and spawned the hit "Slow Jamz." He achieved further success with chart-topping singles like "Gold Digger" (2005) and "Stronger" (2007) and "Carnival" (2024), solidifying his status as a major force in hip-hop and popular culture.
2005: Hurricane Katrina Controversy
In 2005, Kanye West criticized the media and government's racial disparities in their response to Hurricane Katrina, stating "George Bush doesn't care about black people" on live television.
November 7, 2006: Apology for MTV Europe Music Awards Outburst
On November 7, 2006, Kanye West publicly apologized for his outburst at the 2006 MTV Europe Music Awards during his performance as support act for U2 in Brisbane.
December 2006: Evel Knievel Lawsuit
In December 2006, Robert "Evel" Knievel sued Kanye West for trademark infringement in West's video for "Touch the Sky".
2009: Interruption at 2009 MTV Video Music Awards
In 2009, Kanye West interrupted Taylor Swift's acceptance speech at the MTV Video Music Awards, sparking widespread criticism and controversy.
November 2010: Recanting Apology for VMA Incident
In November 2010, Kanye West seemed to recant his past apologies for the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards incident, describing his actions as "selfless".
2013: Opposition to Abortion
In 2013, Kanye West voiced his opposition to abortion, citing his belief in the Sixth Commandment.
2014: Misdemeanor Battery Conviction
In 2014, Kanye West was sentenced to serve two years' probation for a misdemeanor battery conviction after an altercation with a paparazzo.
2015: Civil Lawsuit Settled
In 2015, a civil lawsuit brought by a paparazzo against Kanye West was settled a week before it was due for trial.
June 2016: "Champions" Release and "Famous" Video Controversy
In June 2016, Kanye West released the lead single "Champions" from the GOOD Music album "Cruel Winter" and a controversial video for "Famous" depicting nude wax figures of celebrities.
July 4, 2020: Announcement of Presidential Run
On July 4, 2020, West announced on Twitter that he would be running in the 2020 presidential election.
July 15, 2020: Filing with the Federal Election Commission
On July 15, 2020, official paperwork was filed with the Federal Election Commission for West, under the "BDY" Party affiliation amid claims that he was preparing to drop out.
July 2020: Admission of Ignorance on Key Issues
In July 2020, West told Forbes that he is ignorant on issues such as taxes and foreign policy, during his presidential campaign.
2020: Independent Presidential Campaign
In 2020, Kanye West launched an unsuccessful independent presidential campaign advocating for a consistent life ethic.
January 4, 2021: Pressure on Georgia Election Worker
According to Reuters, on January 4, 2021, a Kanye West-linked publicist pressured a Georgia election worker to confess to bogus charges of election tampering.
December 2021: Secret Republican Operatives Funding
In December 2021, it was reported that West's presidential campaign received millions of dollars in services from a secret network of Republican operatives, payments to which the committee did not report.
June 29, 2022: Copyright Infringement Complaint Filed
On June 29, 2022, a complaint was filed claiming Kanye West sampled Marshall Jefferson's 1986 house track "Move Your Body" without permission.
July 2022: Lawsuit by David Casavant Archive
In July 2022, Kanye West was sued for $416,000 by the fashion rental company the David Casavant Archive for failing to make payments on and return rented items.
October 2022: Adidas Partnership Terminated
In October 2022, Adidas terminated its partnership with West due to his antisemitic remarks.
October 2022: Controversy and Loss of Sponsors
In October 2022, Kanye West was widely condemned and lost many sponsors and partnerships after making a series of antisemitic statements, including denying the Holocaust.
October 2022: Agreement to Acquire Parler
In October 2022, West reached an agreement in principle to acquire the alt-tech social network Parler, which later was terminated.
December 2022: "Someday We'll All Be Free" Release
In December 2022, following weeks of controversial antisemitic statements, Kanye West released a new song, "Someday We'll All Be Free", on his Instagram.
2022: Abortion as Genocide
In 2022, Kanye West deemed abortion "genocide and population control" of black people.
2022: Antisemitic Statements and Fallout
In late 2022, Kanye West made a series of antisemitic statements, leading to the termination of numerous collaborations and partnerships.
December 2023: Apology for Antisemitic Remarks
In December 2023, Kanye West apologized for his antisemitic remarks in a written statement on Instagram, weeks before the release of his upcoming album, but later walked back on the apology in a subsequent interview.
January 2024: Dental Work and Alleged Drug Supply
In January 2024, dentist Thomas Connelly installed permanent titanium prosthodontics for Kanye West and allegedly moved into West's apartment building to supply him with nitrous oxide.
August 2024: Allegations of Nitrous Oxide Addiction
In August 2024, Kanye West's former Chief of Staff, Milo Yiannopoulos, claimed in an affidavit that West was addicted to nitrous oxide. He alleged that dentist Thomas Connelly was supplying the drugs for $50,000 a month.
2024: Lawsuits for Wrongful Termination and Sexual Assault
In 2024, Kanye West faced lawsuits for wrongful termination, sexual harassment, breach of contract by a former assistant, and sexual assault and strangulation by a former model. West denied the allegations.
February 2025: Antisemitic Rant and Super Bowl Ad
In February 2025, Kanye West went on an anti-Semitic rant on X, professing his love for Hitler, and purchased local advertising during Super Bowl LIX which directed viewers to his website, where he was selling a swastika t-shirt.
