The song also features a sample of a 1936 speech given by Adolf Hitler, in which Hitler said,
If you consider the work I’m doing to be right, if you think I have been diligent, that I have worked, that I have advocated for you this year, that I have spent my time honestly in the service of my people, then cast your vote! If so, then stand up for me like I have stood up for you!
In another social media post, Ye posted a video of himself reading those words to an audience. The video was captioned, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life,” a quotation of John 3:16.
Despite growing concerns about West’s erratic behavior, some have continued to publicly support his work. Among them is Russell Brand.
“’Heil Hitler,’” Brand wrote in a social media post on Monday (May 12). “@kanyewest is uncancellable because he reached such a zenith in the culture that he couldn’t be killed.
“I think people would like it if he died. Why? Because he’s a problem for their agenda,” Brand continued. “Also, let’s be honest; the hook is catchy.”
In an accompanying video, Brand mused, “Why is the phrase ‘heil Hitler’ offensive?”
“He’s working with a lot of ideas there,” Brand said of Ye. “Kanye West is a product of the culture commenting on the culture.”
“I’m not suggesting he’s a perfect person. But artists aren’t,” Brand said. “Be honest: How many of you have still got ‘n-word, heil Hitler’ in your head? I have—that’s a good hook.”
In the U.K., Brand currently faces one count of rape, one count of indecent assault, one count of oral rape, and two counts of sexual assault. The charges stem from incidents that allegedly took place between 1999-2005.
RELATED: Russell Brand Makes 1st Court Appearance In Rape, Sexual Assault Case
Brand has denied the charges, saying, “I was a fool before I lived in the light of the Lord. I was a drug addict, a sex addict, and an imbecile. But what I never was, was a rapist.”
