Spotify CEO Daniel Ek spoke out on the issue of removing Ye’s music from the platform following the rapper’s controversial comments.
Ek told Reuters, Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, did not violate the company’s anti-hate policies.
However, Ek called Ye’s recent antisemitic comments “just awful.”
According to the company’s leader, if the comments were made on a podcast or recording, those would have been removed.
“It’s really just his music, and his music doesn’t violate our policy,” Ek said.
He added, “It’s up to his label, if they want to take action or not.”
Reuters noted Universal Music’s Def Jam label, which has ownership over the copyright to West’s recordings from 2002 through 2016, issued a statement on his remarks.
“There is no place for antisemitism in our society,” the label said.
Ek’s comments come just one day after Adidas ended its partnership with Ye.
Additionally, just hours later, Gap and Foot Locker announced they would immediately remove the rapper’s products from their stores.
“Foot Locker, Inc. does not tolerate any form of antisemitism, or hateful and discriminatory behavior. While we remain a partner with adidas and carry a wide assortment of their collections – we will not be supporting any future Yeezy product drops,” a Foot Locker spokesperson said, as CNBC reported.
Gap explained, “Antisemitism, racism and hate in any form are inexcusable and not tolerated in accordance with our values.”
Forbes reported the Adidas deal was worth $1.5 billion and, without it, the rapper’s fortune decreases to $400 million.
Ye was briefly banned from Instagram and Twitter from making the remarks, including one where he declared he would go “death con 3” on “JEWISH PEOPLE.”
His ex-wife, Kim Kardashian, appeared to comment on the matter on Twitter.
“Hate speech is never OK or excusable,” Kardashian tweeted.
Hate speech is never OK or excusable. I stand together with the Jewish community and call on the terrible violence and hateful rhetoric towards them to come to an immediate end.
— Kim Kardashian (@KimKardashian) October 24, 2022
She continued, “I stand together with the Jewish community and call on the terrible violence and hateful rhetoric towards them to come to an immediate end.”
