Formerly known as ‘Kanye West,’ renowned rapper and singer Ye amassed worldwide fame as a songwriter and music producer. Months ago, Ye’s cultural impact on the music industry would have been his legacy. But today, his legacy is barely hanging on a thread. Under fire for recent antisemitic comments and conspiracy theories, the once respected artist has since lost a ton of brand deals and followers because of his troubling, hateful behavior. One of these loyal followers is Jon Giurleo, a music producer and songwriter like Ye, who has looked up to him since childhood. Now, Jon has decided to use his platform to speak out against someone he has considered an inspiration for the longest time.
In the early years of Jon’s music career, he worked as a DJ for corporate events and bar or bat mitzvahs. “I would hear stories about Holocaust survivors and descendants of Jews persecuted in the World War 2 era, and it’s heartbreaking to hear the traumatic stories of hate and discrimination,” he shared.
Feeling infuriated that someone with such a large platform would use it to spread messages of hatred and division, Jon has spoken up against Ye’s recent antisemitic sentiments and other fans’ justifications for his actions.
With followers clamoring for Ye to get help because of mental health issues, some have used this as a smokescreen for his behavior. But according to Jon, this shouldn’t be used as a justification for bigotry. “A lot of people are dealing with mental health issues. But to use it as an excuse to spread hate to millions of followers is despicable.” Jon even adds that he had to deal with mental health issues, so he knows what the struggle is like. And yet, he hasn’t chosen to use it as a scapegoat for bad decisions. “It might be an explanation, but it is not an excuse,” he adds.
Such a harmful message being projected onto Ye’s following, amplified by his fame, is dangerous to impressionable fans who might see it as a green light to discriminate against and hate Jews. Jon believes this is one of the most irresponsible things an artist with Ye’s influence could do. He has also noticed how Ye’s messages have become progressively radical and alarming. “I think Ye is used to having tons of yes men around who are intimidated by his status. [He should] do everyone a favor and stay away from media, get help, and fire all yes men,” Jon advises.
Despite Ye being one of his biggest idols, Jon did not shy away from the responsibility of having a platform. Instead, he decided to communicate the critical message of standing up against hateful speech. He hopes to continue to create unique and never-seen-before art while encouraging people to remain open-minded and tolerant. “Think critically about what influential creators say and do,” are Jon’s final words on the matter. You can check out his social media profiles to learn more about Jon or listen to his songs on Spotify and SoundCloud.
