Featured Image Credit: OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty Images
Topics: Kanye West, Elon Musk, Twitter
Bec Oakes
Topics: Kanye West, Elon Musk, Twitter
Kanye West is back on Twitter nearly eight months after getting kicked off by owner Elon Musk.
Musk reinstated the rapper's account on Saturday as he rebranded the social media platform to X.
While West - who has legally changed his name to Ye - has not posted since being reinstated, X has confirmed that he won't be able to monetise his account and ads won't appear next to his posts.
However, his profile is still accompanied by a gold check mark, supposedly reserved for 'official business accounts.'
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The 'Famous' rapper's account was suspended back in December following a stream of controversial and offensive tweets.
In the months leading up this suspension, his account gave us all whiplash after it was temporarily blocked and unblocked more times than we can keep track of.
Ye was first suspended from the social media platform in November 2022, having been restricted for tweeting anti-Semitic messages.
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He had previously posted to the platform suggesting he would be "going death con 3 on JEWISH PEOPLE," before adding: "The funny thing is I actually can't be Anti Semitic because black people are actually Jew also.
"You guys have toyed with me and tried to black ball anyone whoever opposes your agenda."
Shortly after his return, he was kicked off Twitter for 'incitement to violence' after posting a picture combining a swastika — the symbol of the Nazi party — and the Star of David.
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The post came hours after West sparked outrage by declaring his 'love' of Nazis and admiration for Adolf Hitler during an interview with conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.
Musk, who purchased Twitter in October of last year, told West: "Sorry, but you have gone too far. This is not love," in a text message shared by the rapper before the ban took effect.
"Who made you the judge," Ye responded.
"I tried my best," Musk wrote in a tweet after the platform deleted Ye's offensive content and temporarily locked his account. "Despite that, he again violated our rule against incitement to violence. Account will be suspended."
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His Twitter and Instagram accounts were subsequently blocked.
With his reputation left in tatters, a number of lucrative deals fell through for Ye — brands such as Adidas, Balenciaga, Vogue and GAP all dropped the rapper — and his net worth plummeted.
His divorce from ex-wife Kim Kardashian was also finalised the same week. Yet Ye was unrepentant, refusing in multiple interviews to apologise for his behaviour.
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Late last year, Donald Trump was also reinstated to Twitter following a poll from Musk.
It reversed a ban that kept the former US President off the platform in the wake of the deadly riot on 6 January, 2021.
Musk made the announcement after asking Twitter users to vote ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on whether Trump should be allowed back, with the ‘yes’ vote winning with 51.8 percent.