July 02, (THEWILL) — American rapper, Kanye West, has been barred from entering Australia following the release of his controversial song “Heil Hitler”, which glorifies Nazi leader, Adolf Hitler.
Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke confirmed the visa cancellation in an interview, revealing that West’s valid visa was revoked after the song’s release in early May.
“If someone argued that anti-Semitism was rational, I would not let them come here”, Burke said, referring to West
“He has visited Australia many times and has a history of offensive statements. But after releasing ‘Heil Hitler’, my department reviewed his case, and his visa is no longer valid.”
Officials haven’t confirmed if the ban is permanent. According to Burke, Australian law requires that visa applications be reviewed each time.
This isn’t the first time Australia has considered banning West – in 2023, Education Minister, Jason Clare, condemned the rapper’s comments about Hitler and the Holocaust as awful.
West, who legally changed his name to Ye, has repeatedly identified with Nazi ideology and made anti-Semitic remarks.
Earlier this year, he declared himself a Nazi and withdrew a past apology for earlier comments.
The controversy led Adidas to terminate their partnership with him in 2022, with legal proceedings settled by late 2023.
The song, which is part of his “WW3” album, was banned on major platforms like Spotify and Apple Music shortly after its release in May.
West has faced significant social media backlash for his controversial comments and unpredictable conduct, including a psychiatric evaluation in 2016.
Evi Ben Ezaga writes on entertainment, culture, and trending stories.
