Senegalese-American Singer Akon Comes Under Fire After Defending Kanye West’s Anti-Semitic Remarks
Singer Akon poses for photographers upon arrival at the European MTV Awards in Seville, Spain, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2019. 
Muhammad OsmanAmerican rapper Kanye West has been subjected to criticism over the past two months after making anti-Semitic remarks on social media and in interviews. On Thursday, the 45-year-old artist continued making anti-Semitic comments during an appearance on the InfoWars show hosted by Alex Jones, arguing that he sees “good things about Hitler.”Senegalese-American singer Akon has come under fire after standing up in defense of rapper Kanye West, who has been strongly criticized for making a number of anti-Semitic remarks in recent weeks.During an interview with British media on Friday morning, Akon said West’s anti-Semitic comments do not bother him because “they do not really affect me personally,” urging those offended by the rapper’s remarks not to “take things too personally yet until you understand the situation.”“I show support for opinion and I think people will always have a specific opinion and I think the moment we get to the place where we close our minds up to other people’s opinion, it kind of doesn’t allow us to get to better know each other,” Akon said. “I think sometimes we should open up our minds and let things play all the way out and better understand the situation.”He explained that he is a supporter of “the right to believe what you want to believe,” arguing that he would prefer to have a conversation with Kanye West to show where he disagrees with him rather than just “lash out.”“I think sometimes when someone is offended they just lash out in defence, or lash out to make that person feel the same offence that they felt, and I think when you take negative and apply a response negatively, you will only get negative back,” the Senegalese-American artist stated.Social media users heavily slammed Akon for “spiting in the face of Jewish people everywhere” by showing support to his fellow artist instead of condemning him for his “hateful dangerous behavior.”
“I’m horrified and speechless,” one person wrote on Twitter. “How someone can sit there making excuses for hateful dangerous behaviour and say they aren’t bothered because it doesn’t impact them. What an embarrassing idiotic man.”
"So it doesn't trouble you that he makes really offensive comments?"
"Not really, because it doesn't really affect me."
Great solidarity, @Akon.
Kanye is inciting violence against Jews worldwide, but it's ok…because it doesn't impact on you directly.
Jog. On. https://t.co/V08yLbdrQf
— Adam Cailler (@acailler) December 2, 2022
I’m old enough to remember when Akon simulated sex with a 14 year old onstage so good judgment seems to be an issue for him. https://t.co/HLvLvow2rF
— Dr. Logan Levkoff (@LoganLevkoff) December 2, 2022
Some wondered whether Akon would react the same way to “discrimination against black people” by regarding it as “someone’s opinion.”
By this mindset, we should just take discrimination against black people as ‘someone’s opinion’.
Seems we’re at a point where we think we can pick and choose which discrimination is unacceptable.
— Matt | The King In The North (@matt_ixxi) December 2, 2022
So if, for example, my opinion was that black people are something that would get me in trouble (THIS IS AN EXAMPLE to make a point) would this guy support that?
Doubt it.
— Raggycat Rattyman – 🐭🐱 (@Ragdollcatman) December 3, 2022
On Thursday, hip-hop star Ye said during an appearance on the InfoWars show hosted by Alex Jones that he “likes” and “loves” Adolf Hitler, the Nazi Fuhrer who was responsible for the killing of up to six million Jews across German-occupied Europe. Ye, who has repeatedly made anti-Semitic remarks, argued that he sees “good things about Hitler.”Over the past two months, West has made many anti-Semitic remarks on social media and in interviews, leading to his initial ban on Twitter in October. Later, a number of brands and companies cooperating with the rapper cut ties with him after he repeatedly claimed that Jewish people control Hollywood and the entertainment industry in the US.
