Spotify CEO Criticizes Kanye's 'Awful' Anti-Semitic Remarks, Explains Why His Music Won't Be Removed

Spotify CEO Daniel Ek has criticized the artist formerly known as Kanye West’s recent anti-Semitic remarks, but won’t remove his music from the platform.

In an interview with Reuters, Ek said that while he finds Ye’s comments about the Jewish community to be “awful,” his music itself doesn’t violate anti-hate policies on Spotify. “It’s really just his music, and his music doesn’t violate our policy,” Ek said. “It’s up to his label, if they want to take action or not.”

If Ye’s music itself contained anti-Semitic comments, or he made similar remarks on a podcast, only then would he have violated the Spotify hate speech policy.

Ek said that the streaming platform “would respect their wishes” if Def Jam, the label behind the distribution of all of Ye’s albums besides Donda 2, requests the removal of his music.

Spotify has previously faced criticism for deplatforming artists over personal misconduct. One notable example is when XXXTentacion, who allegedly beat his then-pregnant girlfriend, was removed from official Spotify playlists. R. Kelly’s music was also removed from playlists and recommendations in 2018 amid multiple accusations of sexual misconduct. Spotify later walked back on the approach, and offered listeners the choice to block artists they wish to avoid.

In an editorial for Financial Times, WME chief Ari Emanuel called on Spotify and Apple Music to support a boycott of Ye. His talent agency, CAA, has since dropped him.

According to a Forbes report that was published this week, Ye is no longer a billionaire following the termination of his deal with Adidas. The multi-hyphenate has faced widespread criticism for his anti-Semitic comments, which came not long after he sported a “White Lives Matter” t-shirt alongside far-right political pundit Candace Owens. He was suspended from Instagram and thenTwitter after he said he was planning to “go DEATH CON 3 on Jewish people.”