Kanye West’s butterfly effect

In early October 2022, the famous rapper and producer, Kanye West sent multiple, highly offensive Tweets from the platform Twitter (now known as X). These Tweets caused outrage as reported widely through global media outlets and eventually lead to West’s removal from all social media platforms. The Tweets offended millions of Jewish people around the world with statements such as “going Death-Con 3 on Jewish people.”

These Tweets caused many Jews to be afraid for their lives as they thought the Tweets would cause an uprise in anti-Semitic attitudes and aggression due to West’s influence over his huge, global fanbase. Now, many believe these were posted due to his bipolar disorder, but despite this, mainstream media today continue criticise and shame Kanye West for his actions. The impact West has on social media underlines his global influence and demonstrates perfectly the butterfly effect of how little things can build up to a large, global controversy played out in the media, that ultimately ends with the destruction of a life’s work and career in a matter of days.

The butterfly effect of Kanye West’s global social media influence has been a key part of his rise to fame. The things he says will influence his entire fanbase. West’s impact on the media has been a major factor of his career’s success and growth, building up his career in the early 2000’s into the well-known artist that he is today. This influence has also led him to be able to create new fashion labels such as “Yeezy” (a collaboration with Adidas), making him even more popular on social media in recent years.

We have seen many recent examples of social media enabled influence, with the global sensations Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish endorsing US presidential nominee Kamala Harris. But Kanye West’s media presence today has clearly changed his fortunes compared to the early years of his career when he would promote his music through social media and received positive support from his growing numbers of adoring fans.

Throughout Kanye’s career the media has both built his public image and career up but also caused its demise. “He should know better” says Steve Sos, an affected Jewish community member and music industry leader, based in Australia. His recent Tweets caused a ripple through social media which “blew up” across the news because of how unexpected and offensive his statements were to so many people. In an interview, Steve Sos, the Managing Director of Vevo, stated he was not only shocked but also greatly disappointed because of how influential Kanye was to his fanbase all around the world.

He should know better.

Steve Sos, Managing Director – APAC, Vevo

These controversial Tweets would inevitably lead to lots of backlash from various communities, organisations, the media and even other celebrities resulting in a ban from all social media platforms just a day after he published the Tweets.

Consequently, not long after, he also lost one of his biggest contracts with Adidas incorporating the Yeezy label, where Kanye West claims he lost $8 billion. If we explore Kanye West’s situation in the present day since the Tweets in October 2022, there is a clear picture of decline as both an artist in terms of his popularity and records sales, plus the many cancelled contracts with the likes of Adidas, Balenciaga and GAP, along with the destruction of his personal life and relationships that eventually concluded with his divorce from Kim Kardashian.

Since the backlash, the rest of Kanye West’s career remains uncertain as his fanbase has shrunk and the controversy over him remains. As West moves forward following this incident, he will need to completely reassess and re-shape his public image returning to the positive influence he once conveyed globally. Perhaps a return to music and less social media will greatly benefit the star.

Tom S, Year 8