Kanye West's Apology Denounced By Jewish Organizations

StopAntisemitism and the American Jewish Organization say that Kanye will have to do more than watch "21 Jump Street."

BYAron A.
FASHION-FRANCE-DIOR-CELEBS

Cancel culture’s targeted Kanye West time and time again but it’s never been as effective as when he embarked on an anti-semitic press run to cap off a tumultuous 2022. However, he recently issued an apology to the Jewish community in the form of a tribute post to Jonah Hill. Following a lengthy break from Instagram, Kanye returned to disavow the anti-semitic tropes he spewed on platforms like Drink Champs and Fox News.

“Watching Jonah Hill in 21 Jump street made me like Jewish people again,” Ye wrote. “No one should take anger against one or two individuals and transform that into hatred towards millions of innocent people.” The rapper went on to add, “No Christian can be labeled antisemite knowing Jesus is Jew… Thank you Jonah Hill I love you.” Jonah Hill didn’t respond but the film’s director, Christopher Miller, appeared to have mixed feelings about Ye’s comments. “Um… thanks for watching?” Miller wrote.

StopAntisemitism & AJC Reject Ye’s Apology

PARIS, FRANCE - OCTOBER 02: Kanye West aka Ye is seen wearing a Balenciaga boxing mouthguard, outside Givenchy, during Paris Fashion Week - Womenswear Spring/Summer 2023 - Day Seven on October 02, 2022 in Paris, France. (Photo by Edward Berthelot/GC Images)

A few Jewish organizations have denounced Ye’s apology as inadequate, especially after the harm he caused. Between praising Hitler, denying the number of deaths during the Holocaust, and claiming he’d go “death con 3” on the Jewish people, StopAntisemitic and the American Jewish Committee believe he needs to do a bit more than watch 21 Jump Street. "It is a little odd that all it might take for Kanye to renounce his vile antisemitism is to watch and 11-year-old Jonah Hill movie. Whether Kanye is sincere, only he knows,” AJC rep Richard Hirschhaut said.

“Joking about a movie with Jonah Hill is not the apology that the Jewish people deserve from Kanye, particularly when his antisemitic tirades continue to have a dangerous trickle-down effect of hatred against Jews,” said Liora Rez, executive director of StopAntisemitism, per TMZ. This group previously labeled Ye the “Antisemite Of The Year.” Shortly after, the ADL said his remarks were linked to 30 antisemitic incidents in the U.S. Still, Rez said not all hope is lost for Kanye West. They believe he can begin the process by denouncing Nick Fuentes. The AJC echoed a similar sentiment. However, they want him to “renounce each of these repeated, threatening and vile expressions of antisemitism.”

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About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.