Kanye West’s latest foray was to go live on Twitch and stream. His Twitch streaming career was cut short today after a seven-minute broadcast that quickly resulted in his channel being banned. West, using the account named yeezy_stream, went live earlier in the day but was swiftly removed from the platform for violating Twitch's Community Guidelines.
While no formal statement from Twitch has been released regarding the specific reason for the ban, clips from the stream have circulated online and provide grim context. During his short broadcast, West used multiple slurs, made a series of antisemitic remarks, and even performed a Nazi salute while shouting “Heil Hitler.” The disturbing display left little room for ambiguity regarding Twitch’s decision to terminate the stream and suspend his channel. Here is a small clip that censors most of the profanity of what he was saying, while giving you an idea of what the stream was like.
Now, any attempt to access West's yeezy_stream channel brings up a message stating, "This channel is temporarily unavailable due to a violation of Twitch's Community Guidelines or Terms of Service." Whether Twitch will permanently ban the account or allow West to return remains unclear, though given the severity of his actions, a permanent suspension seems likely.
During the brief livestream, West not only promoted hateful rhetoric but also targeted his ex-wife Kim Kardashian with disparaging comments. This behavior is part of an ongoing pattern for West, whose public image has been marred by controversy and hate speech since 2022. His repeated antisemitic and pro-Hitler comments over the past few years have resulted in the loss of numerous partnerships and sponsorships, including high-profile brand deals. Here is another screenshot from the stream of him doing a certain gesture...
Despite his fall from grace in most mainstream spaces, West has maintained a presence in some circles, even managing to run an advertisement during this year’s Super Bowl. The ad directed viewers to a merchandise store where one of the items included a shirt featuring a Nazi swastika, further fueling outrage.
West still maintains access to his Twitter (now X) account, something he referenced during the Twitch stream. The lack of immediate restrictions on other platforms has sparked broader conversations about the responsibilities of social media companies to prevent the spread of hate speech.
Twitch, a platform known for enforcing strict community guidelines around hate speech and harassment, has yet to issue a public statement regarding West’s ban. However, the platform's swift action today sends a clear message: there is zero tolerance for hate speech and extremist symbolism on its service.
As the fallout from today’s events continues, it remains to be seen whether other platforms will take similar measures against West’s online presence.
What are your thoughts on the news? What other crazy things will Kanye do this year? Let us know your thoughts about Kanye in the comments down below!