Kanye West Airs Controversial Super Bowl Ad Promoting Swastika T-Shirts
Kanye West (Ye) aired a controversial Super Bowl commercial promoting swastika t-shirts on his website, further escalating his pattern of antisemitic behavior and causing widespread condemnation.
The ad, filmed on an iPhone in what appears to be a dentist's chair, directed viewers to his website where white t-shirts featuring black swastika images were being sold for $20. While the site initially offered various items, it quickly narrowed to only the swastika shirts.
Photo Credit: The shirts for sale on West's website / Digital Music News
This latest incident follows West's series of antisemitic statements on X (formerly Twitter), including self-identifying as a Nazi and praising Adolf Hitler. Shortly after the Super Bowl ad aired, West deactivated his X account, though it's unclear if this is permanent.
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) strongly condemned the action, with CEO Jonathan Greenblatt stating: "Let's call Ye's hate-filled public rant for what it really is: a sad attempt for attention that uses Jews as a scapegoat." Actor David Schwimmer and various Jewish advocacy groups had previously called for X owner Elon Musk to suspend West's account.
The ADL further characterized the incident as "another egregious display of antisemitism, racism, and misogyny from Kanye West," highlighting the continuing concern over West's platform and its potential for spreading hate speech.
The website remains active with the controversial merchandise still available for purchase, despite widespread criticism and calls for its removal.