Kanye West responds to controversy over ‘Eazy’ video
"Art is not a proxy for any ill or harm"
Kanye West has addressed the controversy surrounding the music video for his track ‘Eazy’, in which a claymation model of Pete Davidson is buried alive.
The track, which is a collaboration with The Game, takes aim at the ‘SNL’ comedian, who is dating West’s ex-wife Kim Kardashian.
“God saved me from that crash/ Just so I can beat Pete Davidson’s ass,” West raps, with the video showing him and two henchmen kidnapping a figure with a strong resemblance to Davidson before burying him alive.
A title card at the end of the video reads: “Everyone lived happily ever after, except Skete you know who – JK he’s fine.” West, who now goes by Ye, has previously referred to Davidson as “Skete”.
The rapper responded via Instagram on Sunday (March 6), writing: “art is therapy just like this view. art is protected as freedom of speech. art inspires and simplifies the world. art is not a proxy for any ill or harm.”
Last week director James Gunn showed his support for Davidson, after the actor and comedian has been addressed in a number of social posts from West in recent weeks.
‘The Suicide Squad’ director, who cast Davidson for a small role in the 2021 film, defended him on Twitter.
“For the record, Pete Davidson is one of the nicest, sweetest guys I know. A truly generous, tender, and funny spirit, he treats everyone around him with respect,” he wrote.
The tweet was liked by Kardashian, who this week was declared “legally single” after the conclusion to the latest hearing in her ongoing divorce from West.
In a recent complaint to the Los Angeles Superior Court, Kardashian asked for her divorce proceedings from West to be accelerated, referring to the recent social posts in causing her “emotional distress”.
Last week Ye released his 11th album ‘Donda 2’ exclusively through his £200 Stem Player device.
“Donda 2 will only be available on my own platform, the Stem Player,” the rapper captioned a snippet of new music on his Instagram last month. “Not on Apple Amazon Spotify or YouTube. Today artists get just 12% of the money the industry makes. It’s time to free music from this oppressive system. It’s time to take control and build our own.”
Last month he also hinted at a collaboration with previous collaborator Jamie Foxx after the pair went live on Instagram and reminisced about ‘Slow Jamz’, from Ye’s 2004 debut ‘The College Dropout’.
“Now look at us,” Foxx said. “There’s a reason we ran into each other. Can’t wait for y’all to see the next step.”