New York, NY, December 2, 2013 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) denounced as “classic anti-Semitism” remarks by the rapper Kanye West, who in a radio interview last week attempted to explain President Obama’s inability to gain momentum on his policy priorities in Washington, D.C. with the outrageous statement that, “Black people don’t have the same level of connections as Jewish people.”
“If the comments are true as reported, this is classic anti-Semitism,” said Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director. “There it goes again, the age-old canard that Jews are all-powerful and control the levers of power in government. As a celebrity with a wide following, Kanye West should know better. We hope that he will take responsibility for his words, understand why they are so offensive, and apologize to those he has offended.”
Mr. West reportedly made the statements during an interview on New York City’s Hip Hop and R&B radio station Power 105.1 FM. The comments came to light after the Israeli daily newspaper Haaretz printed them on Friday.
According to reports, Mr. West remarked during the interview: “Man, let me tell you about George Bush and oil money and Obama and no money. People want to say Obama can’t make these moves or he’s not executing. That’s because he ain’t got those connections. Black people don’t have the same level of connections as Jewish people. Black people don’t have the same connection as oil people.”