‘I lost $2 billion in one day’: Kanye West returns to Instagram as businesses continue to cut ties over his anti-Semitic comments

Ye returned to Instagram early Thursday morning for the first time since making anti-Semitic posts that sparked a wave of backlash. The posts came hours after the rapper, formerly known as Kanye West, was escorted from Skechers HQ and against the backdrop of several companies breaking ties with the artist.

In his first post, Ye jokingly reposted a fake article titled “Ye allegedly broke up with Kanye West.” The second post was aimed at Ari Emanuel, CEO of entertainment and media agency Endeavor. The CEO wrote an op-ed in the Financial Times following Ye’s anti-Semitic remarks, saying “those who continue to do business with the West are feeding his misguided hate audience.”

Ye tweeted, “I’m going to Death Con 3 against the Jews,” after posting a text exchange with Sean “Dee” Combs on Instagram in which he suggested Combs doesn’t support Ye’s recent actions because he’s under controlled by the Jews. Both positions were deleted.

“There should be no tolerance for Western anti-Semitism anywhere,” Emanuel wrote, according to Deadline. “This is a moment in history when the stakes are high, and it’s critical to speak openly about our values ​​and live by them. Silence and inaction are not an option.”

E’s response to Emanuel has been called a “love speech.”

“I lost 2 billion dollars in one day and I’m still alive,” Ye wrote. “This is love speech. I still love you. God still loves you. Money is not who I am. People – it’s who I am.”

E’s comments caused outrage, and many spoke openly about the necessary intolerance of anti-Semitism. Actor Josh Gad, known for his roles in Beauty and the Beast and Frozen, said Monday that his grandparents were Holocaust survivors and that his “people are now under very disturbing and real attack.”

“I’m going to make this very clear: Kanye West is a freaking f***ing anti-Semite,” he wrote on Instagram.

The companies also took a stand against the comments. This week was one of the large financial losses for the rapper after Adidas announced it was ending its $1.5 billion contract with Ye. TJX Companies, which owns department stores and TJ Maxx, announced it would no longer sell Ye’s clothing, and Gap said it stopped selling his YeezyGap line after shutting down its website for the clothing line.

Ya suffered losses from the Forbes list of billionaires Forbes reported Wednesday that his net worth has dropped to about $400 million.

Lee Cohen

Lee Cohen is a social media producer and popular reporter for CBS News who focuses on social justice issues.