Ye has now reacted to a recent open letter from music executive Lyor Cohen, who urged him to recognize the power of his platform to “heal and inspire.”
Rather than responding to the specific claims in the letter from the Def Jam veteran and 300 Entertainment co-founder, Ye’s Instagram post—briefly shared and then removed—touched on the late Irv Gotti and Cohen’s alleged former love interest, Tory Burch. Prior to his Yeezy store shutting down due to an attempt to sell swastika t-shirts, he stated, “You and your whole industry have promoted and got paid off songs where Black people glorify killing each other.” “But my t-shirt is the worst thing ever. All of y’all are like girls who don’t take accountability. It’s a double standard.”
In other developments, Ye alleged threats and extortion efforts, ultimately concluding that Cohen, who has previously been linked to Ye’s controversies, is “too broke to speak to me in the first place.” He ended the message with “Suuuuck Myyyy Diiiick,” partially directing the remark at Gotti.
Cohen Reflects on Ye’s Controversial Evolution, from Artistic Vision to Harmful Rhetoric
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Cohen, who worked at Def Jam during The College Dropout‘s rise, expressed being “deeply disappointed and troubled” by Ye’s “use of Nazi symbols and antisemitic rhetoric.” He then praised Ye’s artistic vision, suggesting his platform could instead “promote understanding” through music. “Instead, you’ve chosen a path that sows discord and perpetuates harmful stereotypes,” Cohen asserted.
In 2018, a photo of Ye and Cohen became a lightning rod for scrutiny over their hand gestures, though the claims were eventually debunked. Ye, wearing a MAGA hat, captured a defining moment in his career. This moment resurfaced recently in a documentary marking SNL’s 50th anniversary, where his Yandhi-era appearance also featured the controversial headgear. Today, Cohen leads YouTube’s global music division, a position he’s held since 2016.
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