Kanye West will not be performing at the Grammys next month in light of “concerning online behavior”—including attacks on Pete Davidson, a slur against Trevor Noah, and his constant barrage of pleas to his ex-wife Kim Kardashian.
West’s team received a call informing them of the Recording Academy’s decision on Friday evening, according to The Blast. The decision to yank Ye from the broadcast resulted from his Instagram activity, which has included near-daily posts of West defending himself and attacking people who comment on his marriage.
The activity reached a breaking point on Thursday after West directed a racial slur against Noah, who had commented on West and Kardashian’s divorce in a segment on The Daily Show. Noah is the host of this year’s Grammys.
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“I’ll be honest with you—what I see from the situation is a woman who wants to live her life without being harassed by an ex-boyfriend or an ex-husband or an ex-anything,” Noah said. “What she’s going through is terrifying to watch and shines a spotlight on what so many women go through when they choose to leave.”
West responded with an altered version of the word “Kumbaya” in an Instagram caption, referencing a slur against Black people who reject their ethnicity. It led to the platform suspending West for 24 hours.
The decision did not surprise West’s team, according to The Blast. The Donda rapper hadn’t been announced with the first slate of Grammy performers, so no official announcement had been made of West’s involvement.
Some West allies came to his defense. Rapper The Game blasted the Recording Academy on Instagram Friday, arguing the decision was another flashpoint in the “continuous disrespect” against Black artists without mentioning West’s repeatedly absurd antics online.
“Time & time again they show us that they only want to STEAL the culture, not allow you to ever be their equals,” he wrote. “We’ll just say it’s all of the above & a continuous disrespect for us & all that we have brought to the table in entertainment, media & sports over the last 100 years especially.”
