Ye’s latest stunt isn’t just stirring controversy and it may be getting his next album banned overseas.
After previewing a track called “H.H.,” widely believed to mean “Heil Hitler,” critics accused the rapper of promoting hate speech and glorifying violence.
The song is expected to appear on Kanye’s upcoming album, which has been referred to as either CUCK or WW3.
Though the full project hasn’t dropped yet, the reaction has been swift.
According to reports from Kurrco on X, a formal request was submitted to Russia’s media regulatory agency asking them to block the album from being distributed within the country.
The ban request reportedly claims that the music contains lyrics glorifying Nazi figures and war criminals, encourages drug use and violence, and includes references to “non-traditional sexual preferences.”
While it’s not clear who submitted the request or if it will be approved, if enforced, the album could be completely blacklisted in Russia across all platforms.
The Simon Wiesenthal Center, a Jewish human rights group, also condemned the song and slammed social platforms for allowing it to circulate. Their statement focused on the release date of the track, which coincided with VE Day, the day celebrating the end of the Nazi regime in Europe.
“Kanye West’s release of a song entitled ‘Heil Hitler’ on VE Day, the anniversary of the defeat of the Nazi regime, is hate speech, pure and simple – totally in line with the despicable messages we now expect from West. But his partner in spreading dangerous vitriol against Jews is X, which is allowing flagrant violation of its own rules. […] We call on X to remove West from its platform and for other platforms and distributors to refuse to host or monetize this song. There must be a clear line when it comes to glorification of genocidal regimes, particularly to millions of young people.”
The online reaction has been just as divided.
While some fans argue that censorship in music sets a dangerous precedent, others feel that Kanye’s behavior has gone too far.
