Lil Dicky Defends Kanye West, Dismissing Antisemitism Claims

Lil Dicky, the rapper and actor who is Jewish, recently expressed his belief that Kanye West wasn’t genuinely antisemitic during various instances when he spoke out against Jewish people. Dicky shared his perspective during the latest episode of Flagrant, published on Wednesday (January 31), where he discussed the new Dave soundtrack, Penith. Dicky emphasized his personal experience with Kanye, suggesting that the controversial statements were more a result of Kanye’s contrarian nature than actual hatred.

Dicky recounted meeting Kanye West in 2017 during a basketball game, where they played together twice a week for nearly a year. Their interactions extended beyond the court, evolving into a friendship where Kanye shared new music previews and discussed his clothing designs with Dicky.

Despite losing touch after Kanye changed his number and team, Lil Dicky firmly believes that Kanye West harbors no animosity towards Jewish people. Dicky acknowledged being aware of the controversies surrounding Kanye’s remarks but insisted that Kanye had been nothing but nice to him.

“I obviously see all the things, and I was surprised because I don’t think in his heart that Kanye dislikes Jewish people,” Dicky said. “I know he knows I’m Jewish; I know he likes me. In my heart, I feel like he probably said something, and it was the wrong thing, I’m sure. I’m not denying that he’ll say the wrong thing often.”

Dicky theorized that Kanye might have said the wrong thing, leading to outrage, but emphasized that Kanye dislikes being told what he can or cannot say. Dicky concluded by recounting his positive experiences with Kanye, describing him as the sweetest man and noting his interactions with various people.

In related news, Kanye West is reportedly set to release a 40-minute apology video addressing his antisemitic remarks ahead of the release of “Vultures,” his collaborative album with Ty Dolla $ign. TMZ reported that the video was filmed weeks ago but described it as “rambling” and at times challenging to understand. The video is expected to precede the album’s release on February 9, following multiple delays. Kanye had previously issued a public apology to the Jewish community on Instagram, written in Hebrew, for his past controversial statements.