Kanye West Addresses Pete Davidson Controversy: ‘Art Is Not A Proxy For Any Ill Or Harm’
By Kristin Myers on March 6, 2022 at 3:45 PM EST
Rapper Kanye West is finally speaking up about his controversial music video for “Eazy,” which he posted on Instagram earlier in the week.
In the now-deleted Instagram video, a clay version of the “Donda” rapper can be seen putting a bag over a character’s head. The character looks suspiciously like “Saturday Night Live” comedian Pete Davidson who is currently dating Ye’s ex, Kim Kardashian. He then ties up the character and drives him out to an abandoned area where he buries him up to his neck. He later holds up the decapitated head.
On Sunday, Ye seemed to address the controversy by claiming that he never means any harm in his art.
Kanye West Says That He Uses Art For 'Therapy'
In a brief Instagram caption, Kanye ditched the caps lock to pen a short message that seems to be in response to the “Eazy” music video given by the screenshot of the house from the video.
“Art is therapy just like this view,” Kanye wrote. “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 🖤”
“Art is an expression of ourselves n ur art has effected many Ye.. which is why u da 🐐 no 🧢,” one fan wrote.
Another user commented, “True, but to play devil’s advocate, isn’t all art open to interpretation by the public once it’s released to the world? Just food for thought.”
Kanye's post might have been in response to those in the industry who were concerned for Pete after the music video went viral.
Kanye West's 'Eazy' Video Has Pete Davidson Fans Concerned
One friend of the “SNL” comedian who watched the video told Page Six that “This is, for real, really scary.”
The lyrics for “Eazy” include the line “God saved me from that crash/ Just so I can beat Pete Davidson’s a--.”
On Wednesday night, Davidson made a quick return to Instagram before he deleted his account again. The friend explained that “Pete doesn’t have a social profile, so most of the time he doesn’t even know what people are saying or doing.”
However, it seems that Pete Davidson has still seen the video in question.
Pete Davidson Calls Kanye West’s Music Video ‘Ridiculous’
Although some of his friends are worried for him, the “King of Staten Island” actor doesn’t seem to share the same concerns. He called Kanye’s video, which shows him kidnapping and burying a caricature of him, “hilarious.”
A source for Entertainment Tonight revealed that Davidson “finds the fact that Kanye included a cartoon version of him in his music video hysterical.” The source added, “He is almost flattered by it all because it is so ridiculous to him.”
The source added that Pete “is not threatened by Kanye in any way, shape, or form.”
“He’s using this to grow in more ways than one, including for himself and his relationship with Kim,” the source continued. “He is turning all of the negativity into a positive thing.”
“Pete is so understanding and has made an extreme effort to put any of his emotions aside and just be a support system for Kim during this difficult time and transition,” the source continued. “Pete has grown so much as an adult, man, public figure, and partner through this process, even though he has unexpectedly been thrown in the middle of things, including Kanye’s rants and the publicity that followed.”
A separate source told Page Six that “Pete thinks [the video is] totally hilarious. Not just that — he thinks the whole [tabloid drama with him, West, and Kardashian] is hilarious. He loves it.”
Pete Davidson Is Heading Into Space With Jeff Bezos!
A source told Page Six that Pete is close to signing a deal that will take him for a trip to space with Jeff Bezos and his Blue Origin space crew. He and girlfriend Kim Kardashian were spotted having dinner with Bezos and his longtime partner Lauren Sanchez at the billionaire’s Los Angeles estate earlier this week.
A source for Pete told the outlet that “Pete is excited” and revealed that “They haven’t signed a contract yet, but it looks like it’s going to happen. The details are being finalized.” The source added that Pete “got on really well with Jeff when they met.”
Although it’s not clear when Pete will head into space, it will likely be later this year, as per the source.