Kanye West's 'Heil Hitler' song gains millions of streams on X after being banned by major platforms

Kanye West's new single, Heil Hitler, has garnered millions of streams despite being removed from major streaming platforms due to its disturbing antisemitic content.

Released on Thursday, the track quickly accumulated significant attention, particularly on Elon Musk's X (formerly Twitter), where it remains available despite being banned from services like Spotify and SoundCloud. The song’s cover art, which bears a resemblance to a swastika, and its pro-Hitler message, have sparked outrage across social media platforms. West, known for his previous antisemitic comments, defended the song's release, taking to X to criticize digital streaming platforms for removing the track while claiming other controversial content, such as Randy Newman's Rednecks, remains accessible.

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has launched a petition calling for stronger guidelines against hate speech and disinformation on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. The ADL commended Spotify for removing the song but urged further action to hold companies accountable for allowing such harmful content to spread.

This incident follows a history of antisemitic remarks by West, including his infamous 2022 rants. After those comments, West briefly deactivated his X account in February after proclaiming he would never apologize for his views, which included stating “I’m a Nazi” and praising Hitler. West later issued an apology in Hebrew in 2023, though concerns about his mental well-being remain.

Despite the backlash, West’s song continues to be shared on X, where Musk’s advocacy for free speech and leniency towards controversial content complicates efforts to regulate hate speech on the platform.