According to the Associated Press (AP) on 2/7, Australian Minister for Home Affairs Tony Burke stated that 48-year-old Kanye West has traveled to Australia for many years. The country is also home to his wife, 30-year-old architect Bianca Censori, whose family resides in Melbourne. In May, West released a song promoting Nazi ideology. The song was criticized for glorifying the antisemitic views of Adolf Hitler.
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Rapper Kanye West, one of the most famous names in American hip-hop. Photo: *GC Images* |
"He has been to Australia a long time, he has family here. He has made further offensive comments that officials had to consider in the wake of his Heil Hitler song. He no longer has a valid visa in Australia," Burke told the Australian Broadcasting Corp.
"We've got enough problems with domestic hatred, we don't need to import more," the minister added.
West's representatives have not yet responded to the matter.
According to AP, Australia’s Migration Act sets security and character requirements for non-citizens seeking entry. The major cities of Sydney and Melbourne have experienced a surge in antisemitic attacks since the conflict between Israel and Hamas began on 7/10/2023.
Atlanta-born Kanye West began his music career in 1996. He became one of the most successful artists of the 21st century, selling over 140 million records and winning 24 Grammy Awards. Kim Kardashian filed for divorce from the singer in February 2021 after nearly seven years of marriage. In 2022, he married Bianca Censori, a former employee.
For years, the rapper has repeatedly drawn attention for racist remarks on social media. In October 2022, he posted on X that he wanted the military to be ready to confront and attack the Jewish community. The post was removed, and X suspended his account for a month. Numerous brands, including Adidas, Gap, and Balenciaga, terminated their contracts with him, costing West his billionaire status. At the time, Forbes estimated his net worth at around 400 million USD, a significant drop from his previous two billion USD.
In early February, West promoted a T-shirt featuring a Nazi symbol on a local television channel broadcasting the Super Bowl. The shirt, from his fashion brand Yeezy, was priced at 20 USD and sold on Shopify. A few days later, the platform removed his brand for violating its terms of service. A former Yeezy employee also sued the rapper in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleging he frequently attacked her and other colleagues for being Jewish.
On 10/6, international media reported that he had changed his name to Ye Ye in business documents. His representatives denied this. West first changed his name to Ye in 2021.
Phuong Thao (*AP*)
