Australia Bans Kanye West from Entering Over Controversial Song

Australia has revoked the visa of American rapper Ye, previously known as Kanye West, after he released a controversial song titled "Heil Hitler." The decision, announced by Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, prevents the 48-year-old artist from entering Australia, where his wife, Bianca Censori, an Australian architect, lives.

The song, part of Ye’s recent album WW3, dropped on May 8, 2025, and immediately caused a firestorm for its antisemitic lyrics and a sample from a 1935 Adolf Hitler speech. Major streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube quickly pulled the track due to its offensive content. Speaking to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Burke said,  "If you’re going to have a song and promote that sort of Nazism, we don’t need that in Australia." He noted that Ye had visited Australia often because of family ties, but the government draws a hard line at “importing hate.”

• Australia Bans Ye Over Antisemitic Song Featuring Hitler Sample
• Ye’s Visa Revoked After "Heil Hitler" Track Sparks Outrage
• Kanye West Barred from Australia Following Controversial WW3 Album Release

Ye’s past antisemitic comments, including X posts in February 2025 where he wrote, “I love Hitler” and “I’m a Nazi,” had already raised eyebrows but didn’t lead to a ban. The release of “Heil Hitler” changed that, prompting officials to cancel his visa. Burke clarified that the ban isn’t permanent and future visa applications could be reconsidered, but promoting hate won’t be tolerated.

On X, reactions are split. Some users praised Australia, with one writing,Australia is the only Western country standing against bigotry," Others were stunned by Ye’s actions. In response to the backlash, Ye released a reworked version of the song called “Hallelujah,” swapping Nazi references for Christian themes, but it hasn’t calmed the controversy.

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This move follows Australia’s pattern of barring individuals who promote hate, like a recent case involving an Israeli-American activist banned for Islamophobic comments. Ye hasn’t publicly addressed the visa cancellation.