JP Morgan Cuts Ties With Kanye West’s Business After Controversial Tweets: Report

Rapper Kanye West attends the Givenchy Spring-Summer 2023 fashion show during the Paris Womenswear Fashion Week, in Paris, on Oct. 2, 2022. (Julien de Rosa/AFP via Getty Images)

JPMorgan Chase has decided to end its business relationship with rapper Kanye West’s company Yeezy, according to conservative commentator Candace Owens, which comes after West was suspended from social media after posting content accused of being antisemitic.

Owens shared a letter reportedly from JPMorgan Chase indicating that the bank will terminate its business relationship with Yeezy and its affiliated entities by Nov. 21.

“We ask that you act promptly and transfer your business to another financial institution,” the letter reads, with no explanation for the decision except reference to a prior discussion with an unidentified, presumed, Yeezy representative about the termination.

The Epoch Times reached out to JPMorgan Chase with a request for confirmation and explanation for the reported severance of business ties with Yeezy, but the institution declined comment.

Owens did not say explicitly why she thinks JPMorgan Chase may have taken the decision, but suggested in a follow-up message on Twitter that the move may be related to the broader trend of de-platforming individuals who express controversial views.

“I want to say that I do not care what you think about Ye West—but I very much care what you think about this,” Owens wrote. “We have reached extremely frightening times in this country,” she added.

Candace Owens, American conservative commentator and political activist, in Washington, on June 25, 2019. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times)

West, who attended an Oct. 12 screening of Owens’s new documentary, told the New York Post’s Page Six that he had been dropped by a number of brands after his recent social media posts.

“Hey, if you call somebody out for bad business, that means you’re being antisemitic,” West said, according to the report.

“I feel happy to have crossed the line of that idea so we can speak openly about things like getting canceled by a bank,” he added, presumably referring to JPMorgan Chase.

Owens wrote in a separate post on Twitter that she was told “no official reason” had been given by JPMorgan Chase.

After West wore a “White Lives Matter” T-shirt at a fashion event in Paris on Oct. 3, Adidas decided to place its partnership with West “under review,” according to CNBC.

Locked Out

West, who is legally known as Ye, was recently locked out of his Twitter and Instagram accounts over posts alleged to be antisemitic, which the social media companies said violated their policies.

On Instagram, West shared a screenshot of a text exchange with fellow musician Sean “Diddy” Combs, in which he told him, “This ain’t a game. Ima use you as an example to show the Jewish people that told you to call me that no one can threaten or influence me.”

Shortly afterward, West was locked out of his Instagram account. He then took to Twitter, where he posted a controversial message that also got him suspended.

“I’m a bit sleepy tonight, but when I wake up I’m going death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE, ” West wrote. ‘The funny thing is I actually can’t be Anti Semitic because black people are actually Jews also. You guys have toyed with me and tried to blackball anyone whoever opposes your agenda.”

West appeared to be referring to the U.S. Armed Forces’ heightened readiness status DEFCON 3.

The post was later removed by Twitter for violating its rules, a spokesperson confirmed to multiple outlets, and West is currently unable to access his account.

West’s exchange with Diddy was heavily criticized by the American Jewish Committee, which said in a statement that West should “figure out how to make a point without using antisemitism.”

“Over the last week, the musician has fomented hatred of Jews. The greed theme has led to a long list of Jewish stereotypes, such as being money-oriented or controlling the world’s finances.”

“The control theme seeks to falsely portray Jews as secret puppet masters ruling over others. Ye needs to learn that words matter,” the statement read.

Katabella Roberts contributed to this report.