Ye had some choice words for Lyor Cohen.
Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, has responded to Lyor Cohen, the Warner Music Group executive, after Cohen penned an open letter condemning Kanye’s promotion of Nazi symbols and anti-Semitic rhetoric. In the letter, which was directly addressed to Ye, Cohen expressed his disappointment and urged him to use his massive platform to spread love instead of hate.
Kanye’s response, however, took a blame-shifting approach. Instead of addressing Cohen’s concerns directly, Ye accused the music industry of promoting violence against Black men and suggested that executives like Cohen have long exploited artists like himself. He ended his statement by referencing a message he claims Irv Gotti shared with him before his passing.
Kanye West Goes Off On Lyor Cohen
Ye, fka Kanye West, responds to Lyor Cohen's open letter criticizing his antisemitic remarks
— Kurrco (@Kurrco) February 13, 2025
"You and your whole industry have promoted and got paid off songs where black people glorify k*lling each other But my t shirt is the worst thing" pic.twitter.com/u2sTnScHKC
Does Ye make a valid point? Perhaps—but his ongoing promotion of Nazi imagery and hate speech makes it difficult for most people to sympathize with his arguments. While Cohen seemingly tried to tread carefully in his response, it’s clear that when it comes to Ye, there’s no such thing as treading lightly right now.
Quincy is the creator of Ratings Game Music. He loves writing about music, taking long walks on beaches, and spaghetti that fights him back.
