The Why Project
← Antisemitism

Kanye West (“Ye”)

Rapper, fashion mogul

Broad consensus

Threatened to go “death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE” and praised Hitler.

What happened

An October 2022 tweet threatening to go “death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE”, following claims of a “Jewish underground media mafia.” He later, on Alex Jones’s show, praised Hitler.

“I’m a bit sleepy tonight but when I wake up I’m going death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE.”

Under each definition

A pure classic-trope case: antisemitic under all three general definitions, with the 3D test simply not applicable.
IHRAIHRA Working Definition
Antisemitic

Example 2 (the “Jewish media mafia” control myth) plus, via his later remarks, example 4 (Hitler praise / Holocaust admiration) and example 1 (threatening Jews).

JDAJerusalem Declaration
Antisemitic

Guideline 2 (hidden Jewish conspiracy) plus the general bar on threats and violence against Jews.

NexusNexus Document
Antisemitic

Conspiratorial, threatening hostility toward Jews; no Israel carve-out applies.

3D testSharansky’s 3D Test
N/A

Nothing here concerns Israel.

Who called it antisemitic

The ADL led public pressure; condemnation was bipartisan and industry-wide.

The defense

Mixed — a partial apology, but he also boasted he could “say antisemitic s***” without consequences, then openly praised Hitler. Largely doubling down rather than denial.

Outcome

Dropped by Adidas (ending the ~$1.5B Yeezy line), CAA, Balenciaga and Gap; suspended from Twitter and Instagram; lost billionaire status.

In their words

Called it antisemitic
Saying you ‘like Hitler,’ ‘love the Nazis,’ and spending all your time with a white supremacist makes one thing clear: Ye is a vicious antisemite. His comments today on InfoWars are not just vile and offensive: they put Jews in danger.
Jonathan GreenblattCEO, Anti-Defamation LeagueNewsweek
Called it antisemitic
Adidas does not tolerate antisemitism and any other sort of hate speech. Ye’s recent comments and actions have been unacceptable, hateful and dangerous, and they violate the company’s values of diversity and inclusion, mutual respect and fairness.
AdidasCompany statement ending the Yeezy partnershipAP News
The subject
Every human being has something of value that they brought to the table, especially Hitler.
Kanye West (Ye)On Alex Jones’s InfoWars (the accused)Entertainment Weekly

The verdicts above are how each framework would most likely treat this case — illustrative guidance, not official rulings. The 3D test applies only to Israel-related cases, so it reads “N/A” elsewhere. See the Definition tab for each framework’s full text. Inclusion is documentation, not a finding.