Art vs artist

Everyone knows of the timeless debate over whether it’s acceptable to enjoy music, books, or movies when you don’t support the artist. People must usually decide for themselves whether they are able to enjoy a new song on the radio even when they don’t agree with what you read about the artist in the news. It still begs the question: Is separating the art from the artist an ethical thing to do? 

One of the most well-known recent examples is the controversy surrounding J.K. Rowling’s homophobic tweets, which left many of her fans wondering if they could still ethically enjoy Harry Potter books and movies. It’s a personal choice – and a difficult one – for many fans to have to reflect on their feelings when the creator of their favorite art turns out to be someone they might not respect.  

The most recent and arguably hate-filled and incendiary instance is related to Kanye West – of course. On Alex Jones’ Infowars podcast in early December, Kanye made claims that praised Hitler and denied the Holocaust, insisting on Hitler’s supposed “redeeming qualities.” One statement that sums up his feelings is this one: he “does not like the word evil next to Nazis.” This is extremely problematic and highly offensive to the Jewish community. 

Claims praising Hitler, from a man like Kanye West who has such a large platform in the media, is dangerous because it can increase potential for Jewish hate crimes. There has been a 34% rise of anti-Semitic hate since 2021 nationwide. Pro-Hitler comments from Kanye has disappointed the Jewish community and his actions have been called “unacceptable.”  

The ethical separation of art and artist comes into question when wanting to separate Kanye from his works. An artist can be separated from his or her work to a certain extent depending on the level of offense. However, Kanye has crossed the line with these comments, making it hard to understand how anyone can continue to support him. Kanye has lost many platforms and brand deals, which was expected considering the extent of his comments.  

Fans need to be cautious of artists who misuse their platform for promoting negativity. Kanye has made more than enough public claims about his support of Nazis and Hitler for fans to discontinue supporting him and his art.  

It’s ultimately a personal choice, but one I’d ask you to take serious time to consider: Can you still enjoy Kanye’s music, knowing the hatred he is spewing towards the Jewish community?