Exclusive: Kanye West has a disturbing history of admiring Hitler, sources tell CNN - CNN

CNN  — 

Several radical who were erstwhile adjacent to the creator formerly known arsenic Kanye West told CNN that helium has agelong been fascinated by Adolf Hitler — and erstwhile wanted to sanction an medium aft the Nazi leader.

A concern enforcement who worked for West, who present goes by Ye, told CNN that the creator created a hostile enactment environment, successful portion done his “obsession” with Hitler.

“He would praise Hitler by saying however unthinkable it was that helium was capable to accumulate truthful overmuch powerfulness and would speech astir each the large things helium and the Nazi Party achieved for the German people,” the idiosyncratic told CNN.

The enforcement near his presumption and reached a colony with West and immoderate of his companies implicit workplace complaints, including harassment, which CNN has reviewed. The erstwhile enforcement asked not to beryllium named owed to a confidentiality statement and fearfulness of retribution by West. According to the agreement, West denied the executive’s allegations.

The enforcement told CNN that West spoke openly astir speechmaking “Mein Kampf,” Hitler’s 1925 autobiographical manifesto and expressed his “admiration” for the Nazis and Hitler for their usage of propaganda.

This idiosyncratic stated that radical successful West’s interior ellipse were “fully aware” of his involvement successful Hitler. Four sources told CNN that West had primitively suggested the rubric “Hitler” for his 2018 medium that yet released arsenic “Ye.” They did not privation to beryllium named, citing interest for nonrecreational retribution.

CNN has reached retired to West for comment.

A spokesperson for Universal Music Group, which owns West’s erstwhile euphony statement Def Jam, declined to comment.

The sources CNN spoke with did not person accusation astir wherefore the medium was yet called “Ye.”

Van Lathan Jr., a erstwhile TMZ employee, who confronted West during his 2018 interrogation at their offices successful which West said slavery “sounds similar a choice,” precocious claimed connected a podcast that West besides made antisemitic comments during their speech that the outlet did not merchandise publicly. That’s wherefore Lathan said his existent comments didn’t astonishment him.

“I already heard him accidental that worldly earlier astatine TMZ,” Lathan said during an occurrence of the “Higher Learning” podcast earlier this month. “I mean, I was taken aback due to the fact that that benignant of antisemitic speech is disgusting. It’s like, I’m taken aback immoderate clip anyone does that, right? But arsenic acold arsenic [West], I knew that that was successful him due to the fact that erstwhile helium came to TMZ, helium said that worldly and they took it retired of the interview. … He said thing like, ‘I emotion Hitler, I emotion Nazis.’ Something to that effect erstwhile helium was there. And they took it retired of the interrogation for immoderate reason. It wasn’t my decision.”

One of the sources who spoke to CNN and was astatine the TMZ interrogation said West had favorably referenced Hitler.

CNN has reached retired to TMZ for comment.

The revelation of West’s alleged past of admiring Hitler comes amid a question of inflammatory actions by West that began earlier this month. He wore a “White Lives Matter” garment during his Yeezy fashion amusement in Paris connected Oct. 3 and dressed respective Black models successful covering with the phrase, deemed a hatred slogan by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). He past posted a backstage substance speech connected Instagram betwixt himself and Sean “Diddy” Combs successful which helium claimed Combs was “controlled by Jewish people.” He followed that with a tweet successful which helium said helium would spell “death con 3 connected Jewish people,” resulting successful Twitter locking his account.

West’s violative rhetoric successful the past fewer weeks has resulted successful a nonrecreational fallout for the rapper and designer. Tuesday, Adidas ended its seven-year concern with West, calling his caller actions “unacceptable, hateful and dangerous.”

In a statement, the sportswear shaper said it “does not tolerate antisemitism and immoderate different benignant of hatred speech” and said that West’s caller comments violated the company’s “values of diverseness and inclusion, communal respect and fairness.”

Balenciaga besides chopped ties with West, arsenic has talent bureau CAA. Production institution MRC stated they were shelving a documentary connected West, and GAP announced the institution would region Yeezy Gap merchandise from its stores and unopen down the YeezyGap.com website.

In an Instagram station connected Thursday captioned “LOVE SPEECH,” West appeared to notation the severed concern relationships, writing, successful part, “I LOST 2 BILLION DOLLARS IN ONE DAY AND I’M STILL ALIVE.”

West was referenced successful banners raised by antisemitic demonstrators successful Los Angeles past weekend. His comments person been condemned by the American Jewish Committee and the ADL, arsenic good arsenic galore governmental leaders and celebrities, including his erstwhile wife, Kim Kardashian.