Studio shelves completed Kanye West documentary in light of anti-Semitic remarks
Film and TV studio MRC is shelving a completed documentary focused on Kanye West in the wake of his recent anti-Semitic comments.
CEOs Modi Wiczyk and Asif Satchu and COO Scott Tenley announced the decision in an open letter published Monday, which condemned the artist now known as Ye for "mainstreaming" anti-Semitism in the modern era.
"This morning, after discussion with our filmmakers and distribution partners, we made the decision not to proceed with any distribution for our recently completed documentary about Kanye West," the letter began. "We cannot support any content that amplifies his platform."
"Kanye is a producer and sampler of music," the statement continued. "Last week he sampled and remixed a classic tune that has charted for over 3000 years — the lie that Jews are evil and conspire to control the world for their own gain. This song was performed acapella in the time of the Pharaohs, Babylon and Rome, went acoustic with the Spanish Inquisition and Russia's Pale of Settlement, and Hitler took the song electric."
Brad Barket/Getty Images Studio shelves completed Kanye West documentary in light of anti-Semitic remarks
West has "now helped mainstream" this message, the trio said. "The silence from leaders and corporations when it comes to Kanye or anti-Semitism, in general, is dismaying but not surprising. What is new and sad is the fear Jews have about speaking out in their own defense."
The executives wrote that the following "lies" fuel anti-Semitic rhetoric: "If you support Israel's right to exist, you are a racist. If you are a Jew, you support Israel's right to exist. Therefore, if you are Jewish, you are a racist." And, "as leaders of this company (a Jew, a Muslim, and a Christian), we feel duty bound to say to all of you this is a pernicious, terrible use of false logic," the trio said.
"If you hear or encounter the perpetuation of these intolerances and falsehoods, please let us know," Wiczyk and co. concluded. "It is totally unacceptable. And to those who are afraid to use their voice, hopefully this encourages you to do so."
The studio declined to comment on West's involvement in the documentary. The rapper was also recently the subject of the Netflix documentary jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy. A Netflix source confirmed to EW that jeen-yuhs will remain available to stream, noting the distinction between the subject and creator of the project, that there is no anti-Semitism in the doc, and the fact the streamer has other projects about figures who become controversial but it is not customary to pull the titles.
Earlier this month, West made numerous remarks about Jewish people on social media — including a screenshot conversation with Sean "Diddy" Combs that appeared to claim that Combs is being manipulated by Jewish people — that led to restrictions on Instagram and Twitter. He also made controversial comments during his Fox News interview with Tucker Carlson, wherein he insinuated that Donald Trump's former senior advisor Jared Kushner, who is Jewish, brokered peace treaties in Israel in order "to make money."
Balenciaga, the fashion powerhouse that collaborated with Ye on his Yeezy Gap line, has since cut ties with the embattled rapper, as has his talent agency CAA.
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