Australia has officially revoked the visa of American rapper Kanye West, also known as Ye, following the release of his controversial song "Heil Hitler." The decision, confirmed by Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke on Wednesday, stems from West's ongoing pattern of offensive comments and the specific nature of the track, which premiered on May 8, coinciding with the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany's defeat in World War II. Despite West's wife, Bianca Censori, being Australian and the rapper having family in the country, the government deemed his presence undesirable.

Minister Burke emphasized that the visa, which was a lower-level one and not intended for concerts, was cancelled after officials reassessed West's eligibility in light of the "Heil Hitler" song. "He's made a lot of offensive comments," Burke stated, adding, "You're going to have a song and promote that sort of Nazism – we don't need that in Australia." The minister further articulated Australia's firm stance against importing hatred and bigotry, noting that while Australian citizens have freedom of speech, the country has enough internal problems without deliberately inviting such ideologies. He cited West's case during a broader discussion on refusing visas to individuals making Islamophobic statements, reinforcing that any promotion of anti-Semitism would similarly lead to denial of entry.

The song "Heil Hitler," which is part of West’s new album titled WW3, has been widely condemned and subsequently banned across major streaming platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube. Despite the backlash, the track garnered millions of views within a day of its release. The accompanying music video depicts dozens of Black men, some in animal pelts and masks, chanting the song's title while West raps about feeling misunderstood and his custody battle with ex-wife Kim Kardashian. The clip notably concludes with an extract from a speech by the Nazi dictator, Adolf Hitler. In response to the widespread uproar, West later claimed he was "done with anti-Semitism" and released a revised version of the song, retitled "Hallelujah," which replaced Nazi references with Christian-themed lyrics.

West's history of controversy extends beyond this recent incident. He has openly identified as a Nazi earlier this year and has a record of withdrawing apologies for past antisemitic remarks. In 2023, Australian Education Minister Jason Clare had already condemned West's "awful" comments about Hitler and the Holocaust, signaling that his entry could be denied. The rapper has also publicly endorsed music mogul Sean Combs, who is facing a sex trafficking and racketeering trial in New York. The ongoing controversies have also had significant repercussions on West's business ventures, notably leading to Adidas terminating its partnership with him in 2022 over his antisemitic comments, although the company later reached a settlement with him a year later.