White supremacists are reportedly using Kanye West to radicalise American college students
It’s safe to say Kanye West suffered one of the biggest celebrity downfalls we have ever witnessed in 2022. From sprouting anti-semitic conspiracy theories to exclaiming his adoration for Adolf Hitler, things just went from bad to worse for the disgraced rapper. However, a byproduct of those beliefs has led to him becoming an icon for the alt-right, especially given the rapper’s association with notorious white nationalist Nick Fuentes. And according to a report by VICE, Fuentes is now using Ye’s name to help recruit students on college campuses into their cult of racism and hatred.
Ye’s notorious presidential campaign, “YE24,” has inspired a new network, “Students for Ye,” which Fuentes and other white supremacists are using to radicalise young college students. Another campaign called “#YeIsRight” has also started to appear on campuses, according to VICE.
“Regardless of whether Ye continues to pursue any presidential campaign, the groypers (Fuentes’ followers) are using him as a meme to brand themselves as an edgy alternative to mainstream conservatism and gain attention,” Ben Lorber, senior research analyst for Political Research Associates, told the publication.
Students for Ye was created by 18-year-old Daniel Shmidt, who’s the editor-in-chief of The College Dissident, a rightwing student media blog running headlines like ‘Time to Fight Anti-White Hatred on Campus.” He’s also interviewed Tucker Carlson on camera, where the two discussed topics like anti-whiteness and why porn is damaging the youth.
Fuentes has been prominently promoting Shmidt and Students for Ye. He urged his followers to help boost subscribers for the Students to Ye Telegram channel and described the initial one thousand followers as “the first believers in our grassroots movement to support a potential YE24 campaign.”
Students for Ye has accounts on Instagram, Twitter, and a verified account on Trump’s Truth Social and has been recruiting on Fuentes’ streaming platform Cozy.tv.
Their Twitter page has racked up 9,000 followers so far, with the group regularly posting vague statements, with religious overtones, about the true meaning of “YE24.” Keeping in line with their Christian nationalist ideologies that have encumbered the far-right over the years, they’re making sure to cast Ye as a devout Christian.
“What Ye has been saying isn’t just for the weekly news cycle,” one recent tweet reads. “Ye has awoken a revolutionary spirit within millions of young men and women. But this revolutionary spirit isn’t a new one, it’s the Holy Spirit.”
While it’s unclear if Ye’s campaign will actually go ahead as planned, there’s no denying he’s had a huge impact on the rising far-right movement across social media – allowing them to continue benefiting off his name for years to come.
