Introduction to Kanye West’s Performance
Hip-hop visionary, cultural icon and controversial genius will only appear at the Rubicon Festival in Bratislava on July 20, 2025. Its only confirmed live performance in Europe in 2025 and was ever shown in Slovakia in history. The Rubicon Festival increases the bar for European festivals to a whole new level.
Controversy Surrounding the Performance
His participation in the festival triggered trouble. More than 3,000 people have already signed a petition asking the festival to cancel the rapper’s performance. The authors of the petition point out that in recent years he has repeatedly and openly adopted the symbolism and ideology connected to Nazi Germany. He wrote "I am a Nazi" and "I love Hitler" on social media platforms, trivializing the crimes of the totalitarian dictatorial regime and the wars that also influenced the Slovakian population.
The Latest Track and Its Implications
The petition refers to the latest track of Ye, Heil Hitler, released on May 8 – the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. The song refers to the Nazi greeting that was used while Adolf Hitler was in power. The artwork of the single is similar to a swastika, and the song ends with a long example from a Hitler speech. The song is prohibited in Germany.
Nazi Symbols Banned in Germany
In Germany, the use of many Nazi symbols and gestures is banned. The public display or distribution of NS symbols and slogans, such as the arm gesture or the expression, became a criminal offense according to § 86a of the German Criminal Code. The use of such symbols or gestures can be punished with up to three years in prison or a fine. The Holocaust is also illegal in Germany and many other European countries, as well as in Canada and Israel.
Nazi Symbols in the United States
In the United States, many forms of hate speeches are protected by the first amendment in the US constitution, which guarantees free expression. It is not illegal to carry out a Nazi greeting or to carry a swastika in the USA. Since the Second World War, the greeting has often been used by neo-Nazis and white nationalists.
Lack of Regulation by Tech Companies
Although platforms such as Spotify, YouTube, and Soundcloud quickly prohibit the single after its publication due to its anti-Semitic content, the video was widespread on X. Ye’s celebrity status also prompted fans to share the video on Facebook, Instagram, and Reddit, sharing it millions of times. This shows how little power Big Tech companies seem to have – or want to use – to remove offensive content as soon as it has already been published.
Call for Stricter Guidelines
In view of the video, the anti-defamation League started a petition asking Facebook and Instagram to resume "guidelines to protect users from disinformation and hatred" on Facebook and Instagram. Meta announced in January that there are no more facts and rules for hate speeches and abuse in view of the "recent elections" loosened – an indication of Trump’s presidential victory. However, the Pro-Hitler Rhetoric, which is expanded by West’s latest single, falls below the company’s rule, "harmful stereotypes that are historically associated with intimidation, including Blackface and Holocaust Denial".
