Scooter Braun distances from Kanye West over antisemitic song and reflects on taylor swift feud

Music executive Scooter Braun has publicly distanced himself from Kanye West, citing the rapper’s recent antisemitic statements and actions. Speaking on the Question Everything podcast, Braun said, “I don’t know him anymore,” referencing West’s social media posts and the release of a controversial song titled Heil Hitler.

Braun, who is Jewish and whose grandparents are Holocaust survivors, managed West for two to three years prior to the rapper’s recent controversies. “The person that I knew isn’t someone who says those things,” Braun explained. “Sometimes the hardest thing to do with someone you care about is mourn them while they’re still here.”

He added that he no longer maintains a relationship with West, stating, “I’d rather stand proudly in who I am and who my people are, and be gracious and kind to all people, than be a part of that.” Asked whether West could be redeemed, Braun responded that his focus is now on raising his children and preparing them for the world.

This public break comes amid widespread backlash against West, who has been criticized throughout the year for propagating antisemitic views. In May, West released Heil Hitler, a song that repeatedly praised Adolf Hitler and was dropped on VE Day—the anniversary marking the end of World War II in Europe. The track drew immediate condemnation for promoting Nazi ideology.

In another part of the interview, Braun also addressed his long-running feud with Taylor Swift. Reflecting on his acquisition of her music catalog in 2019, Braun claimed the situation helped reinvigorate Swift’s career. Despite Swift’s public denouncement of the move, Braun insisted, “Everyone involved... won.”

Still, Swift’s fans continue to criticize Braun for what they view as exploitative actions regarding her masters.