Kanye West Defends ‘Art’ as ‘Freedom of Speech’ After Facing Backlash for Burying Pete Davidson Replica Alive
Kanye West is defending his art following the backlash he faced over the music video for his song “Eazy.”
Hours after Kim Kardashian was deemed legally single, West — now known as Ye — shared the music video for “Eazy,” which shows him kidnapping and burying a claymation version of Pete Davidson.
In the video, West’s avatar sneaks up on Davidson’s character while he is smoking a cigarette, puts a potato sack over Davidson’s head, and straps him onto the back of a motorcycle — which is likely a reference to the rapper’s iconic music video for “Bound 2.”
The clip goes on to show West burying Davidson from the neck down, later planting roses that would sprout from the comedian’s head.
West was quickly condemned for the video, as many viewed it as a way to terrorize Kardashian for leaving him and others noted how it could impact Davidson, who has been open about his struggles with mental health.
The rapper posted an Instagram seemingly defending his video as “art,” which is noted as a type of speech protected under the First Amendment.
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“Art is therapy just like this view,” he wrote in a Sunday Instagram post. “Art is protected as freedom of speech. Art inspires and simplifies the world. Art is not a proxy for any ill or harm. Any suggestion otherwise about my art is false and mal intended.”
In addition to the alarming video, West has been going after Davidson online since the beginning of February, also taking aim at the SNL star in “Eazy’s” lyrics, in which he raps, “God saved me from that crash just so I can beat Pete Davidson’s ass.”
While neither Kardashian nor Davidson has made public statements since West’s most recent attacks, Kardashian previously criticized West for “trying to control and manipulate” the narrative surrounding their divorce online.
“Divorce is difficult enough on our children and Kanye’s obsession with trying to control and manipulate our situation so negatively and publicly is only causing further pain for all,” she wrote in an Instagram Story.
“From the beginning I have wanted nothing but a health and supportive co-parenting relationship because it is what is best for our children and it saddens me that Kanye continues to make it impossible every step of the way.”
