A controversial new track by rapper Kanye West, glorifying Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, has garnered millions of views on Elon Musk’s X platform after being banned by major sites such as YouTube.
West, a 24-time Grammy winner, has drawn widespread outrage in recent years for his repeated antisemitic and pro-Nazi remarks.
“Heil Hitler” was released May 8 by the 47-year-old artist, who now goes by Ye – coinciding with the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany’s defeat in World War II.
As of Saturday, the video had been viewed nearly 10 million times.
In the clip, dozens of Black men – wearing animal pelts and masks, and standing in a block formation – chant the song’s title as West raps about being misunderstood and his custody battle with ex-wife Kim Kardashian.
The song ends with an excerpt from a speech by the Nazi dictator.
NBC News cited a YouTube spokesperson as saying, “We removed the content and will continue to take down reuploads.”
Reddit also told NBC it would remove any versions of the song from its platform, with a spokesperson adding, “Hate and antisemitism have absolutely no place on Reddit.”
The song has also been removed from streaming platforms Spotify and Apple Music.
Since Musk purchased Twitter – now X – in 2022, he has allowed more hate speech and disinformation on the site, positioning himself as a champion of free speech.
But critics say the Tesla and SpaceX CEO is amplifying voices aligned with his political beliefs.
Musk has become a close ally of President Donald Trump and donated $277 million to support Trump and other Republican candidates in the 2024 election.
X did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Agence France-Presse (AFP).
In February, West’s X account was deactivated after a days-long rant that included vitriolic, "antisemitic" outbursts.
He also repeatedly referred to himself as a “Nazi.”
Also in February, the website for his Yeezy fashion brand was taken offline after plain white T-shirts with a swastika went on sale.
The rapper has been locked out of social media platforms in the past, including a nearly eight-month ban from X for violating rules barring incitement to violence.
Adidas cut ties with West in 2022 after "antisemitic" remarks, ending one of the most successful partnerships in sportswear history. The Yeezy line helped make West a billionaire.
As of Saturday, Forbes estimated his net worth at $400 million.
West has openly spoken for years about his struggles with bipolar disorder. He said on “The Download” podcast that he has been diagnosed with autism.
