Kanye West Faces Backlash After Being Spotted In Public Wearing Shirt With Swastika

Ye, the rapper and fashion mogul formerly known as Kanye West, drew widespread condemnation in February 2025 after he was photographed wearing a white T-shirt emblazoned with a black swastika while out in public.

The incident came just weeks after Ye ran a Super Bowl ad on February 9 directing viewers to yeezy.com, where the only product for sale was the same swastika shirt, priced at $20. The product listing was labeled “HH-01,” which the Anti-Defamation League noted appeared to be code for “Heil Hitler.”

In the days leading up to the Super Bowl ad, Ye had posted messages on X, formerly Twitter, praising Adolf Hitler and declaring “I’m a Nazi.” His account was subsequently deactivated on February 10.

Shopify, the platform hosting the Yeezy online store, took down the website on February 11, citing a violation of its terms of service.

The ADL, the American Jewish Committee, and numerous public figures spoke out against Ye’s actions. Actor David Schwimmer was among the celebrities who publicly condemned the stunt.

The backlash also took a personal toll. Reports indicated that Ye’s wife, Bianca Censori, had separated from him, and he was dropped by his talent agency.

The swastika shirt episode was the latest in a string of antisemitic controversies involving Ye. In late 2022, he was suspended from X after posting an image that combined a swastika with the Star of David. His antisemitic remarks during that period led Adidas and Gap to sever their business relationships with him, costing him an estimated $1.5 billion in net worth according to Forbes.