Ye returns to Twitter after being restricted for antisemitic post

The rapper formerly known as Kanye West is back on Twitter after having his account restricted last month for posting an antisemitic tweet. 

Ye on Thursday tweeted a black-and-white photo of NBA player Kyrie Irving, who, like Ye, is under heavy criticism for a social media post seen as promoting antisemitism.

Ye's Twitter suspension began early last month after he tweeted that he would go "death [sic] con 3" on Jewish people, a reference to the military's use of defense readiness conditions or defcons. Prior to that post, Ye had not tweeted since November 2020. 

Ye said last week he has lost $2 billion in corporate partnerships since the defcon tweet, which has since been deleted. Adidas, Balenciaga, Gap, Peloton, talent agency CAA and others have cut ties with Ye. 

The creator of Yeezy brand shoes and clothes has been at the center of controversy in recent weeks for his comments and actions while in the public eye. He was criticized last month for wearing a "White Lives Matter" T-shirt to Paris Fashion Week — a phrase that many people of color take as a mockery of the Black Lives Matter movement. Ye said during an interview last week that after losing the Adidas deal he now knows how it feels to have your neck stepped on like George Floyd.

The Irving picture posted Thursday is Ye's first tweet since Elon Musk became Twitter's new owner, although the platform reactivated West's account before the ownership change.  

The Chicago native has been known to use Instagram more frequently to make public statements. However, the Meta-owned platform restricted his account this week for 30 days. Ye posted about his IG restriction on Parler, the right-leaning social network he has vowed to buy.

"Got kicked off instagram for 30 days," Ye wrote on Tuesday, adding that it was for posting a comment he made about Jewish people to Russell Simmons, the co-founder of Def Jam Records. 

Irving, who plays for the Brooklyn Nets, shared a link on his Twitter account last week to a documentary film called "Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America." The film features conspiracy theories about Jewish people, including claims that Jews dominated the slave trade. 

The Nets and the league have condemned the sharing of antisemitic material in the wake of Irving's post. The players' union has also spoke out against antisemitism.

Irving said on Tuesday that he takes responsibility for the post and will donate $500,000 to anti-hate groups. 

"I oppose all forms of hatred and oppression and stand strong with communities that are marginalized and impacted every day," Irving wrote in a statement.