Kanye West, the controversial rapper formerly known as Kanye West, has been reinstated to the social network X, formerly known as Twitter, after assurances that he will not use the platform to spread offensive or anti-Semitic content. The Wall Street Journal reported that X, now owned by Elon Musk, lifted West’s suspension on Saturday.
West, who legally changed his name to Ye, was suspended from the social network late last year after posting an image of a swastika merging with a star of David. At the time, the platform was still known as Twitter. However, Musk’s takeover and rebranding led to the reconsideration of West’s suspension, along with several other prominent Twitter accounts that were previously suspended.
According to an anonymous source close to the situation cited by the Wall Street Journal, X was given assurance that West’s reinstated account would not be used to distribute anti-Semitic rhetoric. As of Sunday afternoon, West has not posted anything on the social network.
West’s ban from Twitter came after a series of anti-Semitic statements he made both in interviews and on social media last year. In one tweet from October, he threatened to take action against members of the Jewish community, using the phrase “death con 3.” Twitter locked his account following this incident but later restored his access.
Shortly after his return, West made more controversial remarks, including praising Adolf Hitler and the Nazis. It was after he posted an image of a swastika merging with a star of David that he was suspended again. Elon Musk, the owner of X, commented on the situation, saying that despite his efforts, West violated the platform’s rules against incitement to violence.
In March, West made a statement indicating a change in attitude, saying that he “liked Jewish people again” while discussing the movie ’21 Jump Street,’ which features actor Jonah Hill.
Despite his reinstatement, West will not be able to monetize his account, according to the Wall Street Journal. Musk had previously announced that certain high-profile content creators would receive a share of revenue from advertisements linked to their posts.
West, a 24-time Grammy Award winner, has publicly shared his struggles with mental health and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2016. Following his offensive statements, he faced backlash and was released from a partnership with sportswear company Adidas in October. In an interview, he arrogantly claimed that he could make anti-Semitic comments without consequences from Adidas.
Overall, Kanye West’s reinstatement to X, the social network formerly known as Twitter, comes with the condition that he refrains from spreading offensive or anti-Semitic content. Despite his controversial past, his return has sparked debate regarding freedom of speech and responsibility on online platforms.
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