In the same week rapper Kanye West, who has legally changed his name to Ye, was banned from Instagram, he's now been barred from performing at the Grammys, according to a report in Variety magazine.
The move was first reported in The Blast entertainment news website, as a representative for the All Falls Down singer confirmed he'd been pulled from the awards' performance line-up owing to his "concerning online behaviour".
Ye, who is up for five Grammy awards, was not officially announced as a performer, but could be a planned addition.
The Blast report said Ye's team received a phone call on Friday informing him he had been "unfortunately" removed from the line-up. A representative from the team sent the link to Variety, saying, "this is confirmed", although no further comments have been made by Ye's team nor the Recording Academy and CBS, which present the Grammys.
“Our sources say Kanye’s team isn’t surprised by the decision,” said The Blast report.
Ye was suspended from Instagram for 24 hours after he directed a racial slur at The Daily Show host, South African comedian Trevor Noah, 38, who is also hosting the Grammys on April 3.
Noah is the writing partner of Kim Kardashian’s boyfriend Pete Davidson.
The social media attack came after Noah spoke about Ye's public and "belligerent" attacks and harassment directed towards Kardashian after their split.
"You may not feel sorry for Kim because she’s rich and famous, because of the way she dresses, because she appropriates black culture, because she tells women they’re lazy, broke the internet and then didn’t put it back together, whatever, you hate her," Noah said during a segment on The Daily Show.
"But what she's going through is terrifying to watch and shines a spotlight on what so many women go through when they choose to leave."
The phrase used by Ye to insult Noah is said to refer to a black person who is anti-black.
Noah responded to Ye's comments, saying: “You’re an indelible part of my life Ye. Which is why it breaks my heart to see you like this.
“I don’t care if you support Trump and I don’t care if you roast Pete. I do however care when I see you on a path that’s dangerously close to peril and pain … Don’t ever forget, the biggest trick racists ever played on black people was teaching us to strip each other of our blackness whenever we disagree. Tricking us into dividing ourselves up into splinters so that we would never unite into a powerful rod.”
Hours after the suspension, social media users flooded the comments section of fashion label Gap's account, imploring the brand to sever ties with the rapper.
Ye signed a 10-year agreement in 2020 to design and sell clothes under the Yeezy Gap label. The deal, rumoured to be worth about $970 million according to Bloomberg, has so far produced two collections, with a third, the Yeezy Gap X Balenciaga collaboration, unveiled in February. All collections have sold out minutes after launch.
Kardashian filed for divorce from Ye in February 2021 and was declared legally single on March 2. She's been publicly dating Davidson since last year.
Ye has since unleashed regular public attacks on Davidson, for example by including lyrics in the song Eazy threatening to "beat" him and creating a claymation video of Davidson being kidnapped, buried and decapitated.
See Kanye West's style evolution — in pictures:
-
will.i.am and Kanye West, in a knitted jumper, pose backstage during the MTV Europe Music Awards at Tor di Valle November 18, 2004 in Rome, Italy. Getty Images -
Anastacia and Kanye West, in a pink golfing-inspired ensemble, attend the MTV Europe Music Awards on November 18, 2004 at Tor di Valle, in Rome, Italy. Getty Images -
Kanye West, in a casual white outfit, arrives at the 13th annual MTV Europe Music Awards at the Bella Centre on November 2, 2006 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Getty Images -
Kanye West, in a laid-back navy suit, attends a Fendi party at the National Stadium on November 30, 2006 in Tokyo, Japan. Getty Images -
Kanye West, in a plaid shirt, and Alexis Phifer arrive at the Christian Dior show on October 1, 2007 in Paris, France. Getty Images -
Kanye West, in shades of brown, and Alexis Phifer arrive for the Stella McCartney show on October 4, 2007 in Paris, France. Getty Images -
Kanye West, in a polo shirt and cardigan, and Alexis Phifer arrive at the Chloe fashion show on October 6, 2007 in Paris, France. Getty Images -
Kanye West, in checked tailoring, leaves the Louis Vuitton fashion show on October 7, 2007 in Paris, France. Getty Images -
Kanye West, in a grey trench, arrives at the Yves Saint Laurent fashion show on February 28, 2008 in Paris, France. Getty Images -
Kanye West, in sneakers and a printed jacket, and Alexis Phifer arrive at the Chloe fashion show on March 1, 2008 in Paris, France. Getty Images -
Kanye West, in retro tailoring, attends Elie Saab fashion show during on January 28, 2009 in Paris, France. Getty Images -
Kanye West, in a bow tie and denim jacket, attends the Narciso Rodriguez fashion show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City on February 17, 2009. EPA -
Kanye West, in double denim, attends the Vivienne Westwood Red Label show as part of London Fashion Week on February 21, 2009 in London, England. Getty Images -
Kanye West, in a bomber jacket and YSL tee, and Amber Rose attend the Givenchy fashion show during Paris Fashion Week on March 8, 2009 in Paris, France. Getty Images -
Kanye West, in a white tux, and Amber Rose attend the Givenchy show during Paris Fashion Week on January 26, 2010 in Paris, France. Getty Images -
Kanye West, in a classic tux, and Selita Ebanks leave the Grazia Masquerade Ball at Opera Garnier on October 5, 2010 in Paris, France. Getty Images -
Kanye West, in all black, arrives for the Australian premiere of his music video 'Runaway' at the Hoyts Entertainment Centre Cinema on October 11, 2010 in Sydney, Australia. Getty Images -
Kanye West, in a leopard bomber, attends the Vivienne Westwood show during Paris Fashion Week on March 4, 2011 in Paris, France. Getty Images -
Kanye West, in a chic tux, and Carine Roitfeld attend amfAR's Cinema Against Aids Gala during the 64th Cannes Film Festival at Hotel Du Cap on May 19, 2011 in Antibes, France. Getty Images -
Chanel Iman and Kanye West, in a tee and blazer, attend the Givenchy show during Paris Fashion Week on October 2, 2011 in Paris, France. Getty Images -
Kanye West, in a denim jacket and chains, during London Fashion Week at Somerset House on February 20, 2012 in London, England. Getty Images -
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, in all white, attend the Valentino show as part of Paris Fashion Week on July 4, 2012 in Paris, France. Getty Images -
Kanye West, in Dior, arrives at the Christian Dior show as part of Paris Fashion Week on September 28, 2012 in Paris, France. Getty Images -
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, in a crisp white suit, attend the Givenchy show as part of Paris Fashion Week on March 3, 2013 in Paris, France. Getty Images -
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, in Givenchy, attend the Met Gala in New York on May 6, 2013. EPA -
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, in Givenchy, attend the Givenchy show as part of the Paris Fashion Week on September 29, 2013 in Paris, France. Getty Images -
Kanye West, in a fur coat, attends the Givenchy show as part of Paris Fashion Week on January 17, 2014 in Paris, France. Getty Images -
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, in Lanvin, arrive for the Met Gala in New York on May 5, 2014. EPA -
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, in Balmain, attend the Balmain show as part of Paris Fashion Week on September 25, 2014 in Paris, France. Getty Images -
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, in Lanvin, attend the Lanvin show as part of Paris Fashion Week on September 25, 2014 in Paris, France. Getty Images -
Kanye West, in Haider Ackermann, attends the Celine show as part of Paris Fashion Week on September 28, 2014 in Paris, France. Getty Images -
Kanye West, in leather trousers, and Kim Kardashian arrive for the Lacma Art+Film Gala at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in Los Angeles, California, on November 1, 2014. EPA -
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, in Balmain, arrive for the 57th annual Grammy Awards held at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles, California, on February 8, 2015. EPA -
Kanye West, in a white suit jacket, during London Fashion Week at St Paul's Cathedral on February 20, 2015 in London, England. Getty Images -
Kim Kardashian, Kanye West, in Balmain, and Kris Jenner attend the Balmain show as part of Paris Fashion Week on March 5, 2015 in Paris, France. Getty Images -
Kanye West, in a black blazer, Olivier Rousteing and Kim Kardashian attend the Balmain dinner as part of Paris Fashion Week on March 5, 2015 in Paris, France. Getty Images -
Kanye West, in Dior, and Lorde attend the Christian Dior show as part of Paris Fashion Week Womenswear on March 6, 2015 in Paris, France. Getty Images -
Kanye West, in Haider Ackermann, and Kim Kardashian attend the Louis Vuitton show as part of Paris Fashion Week Womenswear on March 11, 2015 in Paris, France. Getty Images -
Kanye West, in Haider Ackermann, and Kim Kardashian arrive for the Time 100 Gala in New York on April 21, 2015. EPA -
Kayne West, in Yeezy, and Kim Kardashian arrives at the MTV Video Music Awards at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles, California, on August 30, 2015. EPA -
Kris Jenner and Kanye West, in Dries Van Noten, attend the Vogue 95th Anniversary Party on October 3, 2015 in Paris, France. Getty Images -
Kanye West, in Balmain, arrives at the Met Gala in New York on May 2, 2016. EPA -
Kanye West, in Louis Vuitton, and Kim Kardashian attend the Louis Vuitton show as part of Paris Fashion Week on June 21, 2018 in Paris, France. Getty Images -
Kanye West, in Duhill, attends the 2020 Vanity Fair Oscar Party following the 92nd annual Academy Awards ceremony in Beverly Hills, California, on February 9, 2020. EPA
