Kanye West continues to court controversy after his recent inflammatory and antisemitic remarks on a podcast with alleged conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.
The School of Art Institute Chicago confirmed on Thursday (Dec. 7) that his honorary doctorate degree obtained on May 11, 2015, had been taken away from West.
Here’s their official statement that outlines why the rapper’s degree was rescinded:
“The School of the Art Institute of Chicago condemns and repudiates Kanye West’s (now known as Ye) anti-Black, antisemitic, racist, and dangerous statements, particularly those directed at Black and Jewish communities.”
It further adds:
“Ye’s actions do not align with SAIC’s mission and values, and we’ve rescinded his honorary degree.”
The university takes action
The move came on the heels of a Change.org petition by students who demanded that Kanye West’s honorary doctorate be removed.
This was followed by TMZ publishing an open letter from SAIC addressed to their staff and student body about Ye’s controversial remarks on his Dec 1st episode of InfoWars with Alex Jones.
The letter arrived four days after the launch of said petition.
President of SAIC Elissa Tenny made it official:
“After hearing from many of you, and conferring with the Board of Governors, the honorary degree awarded to Kanye West has been rescinded.”
Kanye West faces heat
Famous influencers have vocally spoken out against Ye’s statements.
His Twitter account was temporarily disabled following the posting of a Star of David with an embedded swastika as part of his 2024 presidential campaign logo.
Not only did brands sever ties, but also many celebrities voiced their opposition online to Kanye West and his uncalled-for remarks.
