Kanye West Sparks Global Outrage With ‘Heil Hitler’ Song Release on VE Day

Kanye West, who now goes by Ye, has ignited a firestorm of condemnation after releasing a new track titled “Heil Hitler” on Thursday, May 8—coinciding with Victory in Europe (VE) Day, the annual commemoration of the Allied victory over Nazi Germany. The controversial track was released alongside a provocative music video and has drawn sharp criticism for its blatant use of Nazi references, antisemitic overtones, and disturbing imagery.

The music video features a group of Black men dressed in animal skins and heads, standing in formation while repeatedly chanting, “Ni**a Heil Hitler.” In the track, Kanye West himself raps lines such as “I became a Nazi, I’m the villain,” further fueling the backlash. The song concludes with a real audio clip from a 1935 speech by Adolf Hitler at the Krupp factory in Germany. In the recording, Hitler is heard urging people to “stand up” for him, a moment many observers found chillingly out of place in a modern music context.

The song also references Kanye West’s ongoing custody battle with his ex-wife, Kim Kardashian. He raps,

“these people take my kids from me, then they close my bank account, I got so much anger in me, got no way to take it out,”

Seemingly attempting to blend his grievances with broader, highly inflammatory themes.

Reaction to the song’s release has been swift and overwhelmingly negative. The American Jewish Committee (AJC) condemned Kanye West in a statement by CEO Ted Deutch. “Ye is profiting off of Jew-hatred, and the music industry needs to step up and speak out against this obscenity,” said Deutch, calling the song “blatant antisemitism.”

STREAM HEIL HITLER ON SCRYBE

DOWNLOAD NOW https://t.co/OSk8FR7vjo

— ye (@kanyewest) May 9, 2025

The timing of the release has only deepened the controversy. VE Day, observed each year on May 8, marks the end of World War II in Europe and honors the defeat of the Nazi regime. West’s decision to drop a song glorifying Hitler on this solemn occasion has been widely interpreted as a deliberate provocation.

The track arrives just days after Kanye West posted “I love Hitler” on X (formerly Twitter), reviving the same kind of antisemitic rhetoric that previously got him suspended from social media platforms. In March, he accused Jewish people of controlling banks, media, and minds, stating, “Antisemitism is the only path to freedom.” A month earlier, he stirred further outrage by selling a Yeezy T-shirt emblazoned with a swastika.

Praise God https://t.co/WpyPqG4kqX

— ye (@kanyewest) May 9, 2025

While streaming platforms have swiftly removed “Heil Hitler” from their catalogues, the fallout continues. Music industry leaders, civil rights organisations, and political figures have called for a unified stand against Kanye West’s increasing reliance on hate speech for publicity and shock value.

As Ye pushes further into extreme and dangerous rhetoric, his actions on a day like VE Day are not just damaging his legacy — they’re forcing the entertainment industry and society to reckon with the limits of free expression and the responsibility of a global platform.