Kanye West denied Australian visa after controversial Hitler-themed song sparks public backlash

Kanye West, the American rapper now legally known as Ye, has been denied entry into Australia following the release of his controversial song Heil Hitler, which has been widely condemned and banned from major platforms including Apple Music, Spotify, and YouTube.

Australia’s Home Affairs Minister, Tony Burke, disclosed the visa cancellation during an interview with ABC’s Afternoon Briefing on Wednesday. He was addressing the government’s broader approach to rejecting visa applicants who promote hate speech or extremist views.

He elaborated that, unlike typical visa cancellations involving public speakers, Ye’s case was unique due to the nature of the content and its impact. “The only one I can think of where it wasn’t for public advocacy – the visa – but we cancelled it anyway, would be Kanye West,” Burke said.

Burke noted that Ye has longstanding ties to Australia—his wife, Bianca Censori, is from Melbourne—and had visited the country frequently. However, officials reassessed his visa in light of both the May release of Heil Hitler and Ye’s history of offensive and antisemitic remarks. “Even for the lowest level of visa, when my officials looked at it, they cancelled that following the announcement of that song,” he stated.

Emphasizing the government’s stance, Burke added, “What’s not sustainable is to import hatred.” He reaffirmed that each visa application is assessed independently under Australia’s Migration Act, particularly against its strict character requirements.

A spokesperson for the Department of Home Affairs declined to comment on individual cases but confirmed that visa refusals or cancellations may occur if individuals pose a risk to the community.