Key Points
- Instagram and Twitter have blocked accounts belonging to Ye - formerly known as Kanye West - due to anti-Semitic posts.
- The posts, which both companies say violated their policies, have now been deleted.
Kanye West has had his Instagram and Twitter accounts restricted after making anti-Semitic posts over the weekend.
On Saturday, the rapper and fashion designer posted a tweet saying he would go "death con 3" on Jewish people.
"The funny thing is I actually can’t be Anti Semitic because black people are actually Jew also You guys have toyed with me and tried to black ball anyone whoever opposes your agenda,” he tweeted.
The tweet has now been removed.
"The account in question has been locked due to a violation of Twitter’s policies," A spokesperson for Twitter told BuzzFeed news.
Earlier, he criticised Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg over his Instagram account being limited.
The Instagram restriction came after he made a post suggesting Sean "Diddy" Combs was being controlled by Jewish people.
The post has now been removed.
Adidas reconsidering partnership
Earlier, German sportswear giant Adidas said it was reconsidering its partnership with West after the artist reportedly became disgruntled with how the brand was marketing his products.
West has netted billions selling his Yeezy clothing range through the German company since 2015, but the collaboration had recently been dogged by tensions.
"After repeated efforts to privately resolve the situation, we have taken the decision to place the partnership under review," Adidas said in a statement on Friday.
In a recent Instagram message cited by US media outlets, West had accused Adidas of arranging marketing events and bringing back older styles without his approval.
He also said the brand had hired staff to work under him and organised a "Yeezy Day" without his involvement.
West also sparked controversy this week when he was pictured wearing a "White Lives Matter" T-shirt at Paris Fashion Week.
The artist was associated with Nike for years but broke away in 2013, lending his name to Adidas as they launched their first Yeezy shoe together in 2015 - a partnership that went on to make him a billionaire.
Along with Beyonce, Stella McCartney and Pharrell Williams, West's has been one of the top names used by Adidas to boost sales, especially online.
Instagram and Twitter have restricted Kanye West's Instagram accounts over antisemitic posts. Source: Getty
West has made headlines in recent years for his psychiatric problems, controversial comments about slavery and support for former US president Donald Trump.
White Lives Matter controversy
He was widely criticised for wearing the "White Lives Matter" T-shirt, which was also shown as part of his collection in Paris.
The phrase "Black Lives Matter" became a rallying cry for protests against racism and police brutality sparked by the 2020 murder of George Floyd.
"I do certain things from a feeling, I like, just channel the energy, it just feels right," he said when Fox News asked why he wore it.
The Chicago-born star was for years part of one of the world's most famous power couples thanks to his marriage to reality TV star Kim Kardashian.
But Kardashian filed for divorce last year after US media reported the pair were living separately and dealing with "regular relationship issues".
West and retail brand Gap also announced an end to a partnership last month, with the artist saying he had plans to open his own stores.
The announcement capped months of social media complaints from West, which included accusations that he had been left out of the creative process and criticisms of marketing delays.
"GAP left Ye no choice but to terminate their collaboration agreement because of GAP's substantial noncompliance," wrote the artist's lawyer, Nicholas Gravante, in a letter.
However, the controversy around his business ventures has not dimmed West's success in the music world, as the star continues to enjoy hits and praise from critics.
His album "Donda" was nominated for Album of the Year and Best Rap Album at the 2022 Grammys.
