'Heil Hitler' controversy: Why Australia canceled Ye's visa
What's the story
The Australian government has canceled the visa of US rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, over his controversial song Heil Hitler. The track, released in May this year, has been condemned for promoting Nazism and antisemitism. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke confirmed on Wednesday that the decision was made after reviewing Ye's offensive comments and the release of the song.
Visa details
'We have enough problems in this country already'
Burke clarified that the canceled visa was not meant for concert performances. He told ABC, "It was a lower level, and the officials still looked at the law and said: You're going to have a song and promote that sort of Nazism - we don't need that in Australia." He added that immigration officials reassess each visa application and stressed Australian citizens' freedom of speech. "But we have enough problems in this country already without deliberately importing bigotry."
International backlash
Petition against Ye's concert in Slovakia
The release of Heil Hitler also drew public opposition in Slovakia, where Ye was scheduled to perform a concert in July. Over 3,000 people signed a petition against his performance, citing it as an "insult to historic memory" and a "glorification of wartime violence." The petition stated that the rapper is "repeatedly and openly adhering to symbols and ideology connected with the darkest period of modern global history."
Song details
'Heil Hitler' song, music video details
In the music video for Heil Hitler, a group of Black men wearing animal pelts and masks chant the title of the song while Ye raps. The song concludes with an excerpt from a speech by Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler. Notably, Ye's wife, architect Bianca Censori, was born in Australia, and her family lives in Melbourne.