Defending his art. Kanye West said he didn’t mean any harm with his “Eazy” music video.
“Art is therapy just like this view,” the 44-year-old captioned an illustration of a church on fire via Instagram on Sunday, March 6. “Art is protected as freedom of speech. Art inspires and simplifies the world. Art is not a proxy for any ill or harm. Any suggestion otherwise about my art is false and mal intended.”
He didn’t call out the “Eazy” video by name, but it has stirred controversy since it was released on Wednesday, March 2. The clip was perceived by many viewers as an attack on Pete Davidson.
The track, which features The Game, directly references the Saturday Night Live performer, 28, who is dating West’s estranged wife Kim Kardashian. “God saved me from this crash / Just so I could beat Pete Davidson’s ass,” the Grammy winner raps on the song from his Donda 2 album.
While the song made headlines upon its release earlier this year, the video — which West has since deleted from his Instagram — left many with concerns. The clip included what appeared to be a claymation effigy of Davidson, and he was seen being kidnapped, decapitated and buried alive.
“Every one lived happily ever after,” a title card in the video reads. “Except You Know Who.” The name Skete (West’s nickname for Davidson) appears crossed out after “except.”
The visual was released the same day that a judge declared Kardashian, 41, legally single amid her divorce from the “Stronger” performer. She subsequently dropped her ex’s last name from all her social media accounts.
The KKW Beauty founder — who shares children North, 8, Saint, 6, Chicago, 4, and Psalm, 2, with West — filed for divorce in February 2021 after nearly seven years of marriage. In early 2022, West started taking his grievances with the reality TV star public, describing coparenting conflicts and slamming Pete Davidson via Instagram as well as telling followers that he wanted the California native back.
“Divorce is difficult enough on our children and Kanye’s obsession with trying to control and manipulate our situation so negatively and publicly is only causing further pain for all,” the Keeping Up With the Kardashians alum wrote via her Instagram Story in February. “I wish to handle all matters regarding our children privately and hopefully he can finally respond to the third attorney he has had in the last year to resolve any issues amicably.”
The Chicago native also shared alleged text messages from the Selfish author the same month. “U are creating a dangerous and scary environment and someone will hurt Pete and this will all be your fault,” one of her alleged texts read, to which West replied, “I will always do everything to protect you and our family forever. And I listened to you and told everyone to make sure nothing physical happens to Skete.”’
The “Power” rapper later released a statement that acknowledged how sharing private conversations was perceived. “I know sharing screen shots was jarring and came off as harassing Kim,” he wrote, in part, via Instagram in February. “I take accountability. I’m still learning in real time. I don’t have all the answers. To be good leader is to be a good listener.”
In March, just one day before the video’s release, West told Hollywood Unlocked that he asked his legal team to “expedite the dissolution of my marriage to Kim so I can put my entire attention into our beautiful children.”
