Rapper Kanye West no longer has an honorary doctor from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC).
The prestigious fine arts college announced on Thursday it was revoking the honorary degree given to West, who goes by the name Ye, in light of his antisemitic comments about Jews and other offensive recent statements, including that he loves Nazis.
The college said in a statement that "the School of the Art Institute of Chicago condemns and repudiates Kanye West's (now know as Ye) anti-Black, antisemitic, racist, and dangerous statements, particularly those directed at Black and Jewish communities,” CNN reported.
"Ye's actions do not align with SAIC's mission and values, and we've rescinded his honorary degree," the statement added.
The college awarded the honorary degree to the rapper and fashion designer in 2015 for his contributions to arts and culture.
An organization calling itself Against Hate at SAIC had called for West’s degree to be rescinded over his offensive statements, creating a Change.org petition.
"Regardless of his contribution prior to the receipt of this award, it is harmful to allow Ye, as he is presently known, to continue to use the School of the Art Institute of Chicago to help legitimize hatred and violence," the petition said, noting that continuing to let West keep the award harmed the school’s reputation.
"This harm impacts the artists, designers and scholars affiliated to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and their values of justice, compassion, and free expression without hatred,” it added.
The petition page posted a letter on Thursday from SAIC President Elissa Tenny. In the statement, Tenny described West’s comments about Jews and Black people as "disgusting and condemnable" and "painful for our entire community."
"This was a difficult decision to make, and one that has been deliberated thoroughly," Tenny said.
She noted that this was the first instance in 80 years that the college had rescinded a degree.
The fallout from West’s multiple offensive statements about the Jewish community has continued this week, with World Jewish Congress President Ronald Lauder sending a letter to the CEOs of Apple and Spotify on Thursday demanding they remove the antisemitic rapper's music from their platforms.
According to a report in the New York Post, Lauder sent a letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook and Spotify CEO Daniel Ek, in which he stated that it is “unacceptable that neither Apple Music nor Spotify have removed Mr. West’s music,” as the singer continues to spread antisemitic rhetoric.
“Kanye West’s antisemitic tirades go beyond trafficking in conspiracy theories. He is espousing Nazism in its purest, most hateful form, and is perhaps the singular embodiment of the alarming rise of Jew-hatred in America,” the letter continues.
(Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)