Rapper and fashion designer Kanye West, also known as “Ye,” has been in the public spotlight recently since his anti-semetic comment. After a confusing and disturbing tweet on West’s Twitter account, which stated “death con 3 on Jewish people,” Twitter locked him out of his account and the matter began gaining public attention. Two weeks later, a group of white supremacists made a sign stating that “Kanye was right about the Jews” and hung it over a freeway in Los Angeles. After Adidas faced a lot of public pressure from the actions that West sparked, the company severed ties with Kanye cutting his net worth nearly in half from an estimated one billion dollars to four hundred million. Brendan White, a 12th-grade student at Corona del Mar High School remarked, “As a Jewish person and fan of Kanye West’s music, I feel conflicted and upset. It hurts to see how an artist whose music has inspired me could fall so low and become a bigot.”

Following West’s recent tweet and actions, the Holocaust Museum invited him for a private tour to clear up some of his mistaken beliefs about Jewish people, which he declined. West’s behavior not only prompted anti-semetic Jewish groups to go out in public but caused organizations like the Holocaust Museum to receive threats. In Los Angeles, many people have witnessed racist stereotypes and written conspiracy theories about Jewish people on their cars. Recently, some sources have told news outlets that West admires Adolf Hitler, and, in the past, has wanted to name an album after him. Kingston Wardy, a 10th-grade student remarked that “These actions are very dangerous. Someone like Kanye has a lot of influence, and he’s using that power to promote harmful beliefs.” Kim Kardashian, West’s ex-wife, condemned West’s recent remarks.

As a social media, fashion, and musical icon who many young adolescents look up to, Kanye West is setting a bad example for the younger generation, causing many companies and formerly loyal fans to sever ties with him as a result.