Lyor Cohen’s Open Letter to Kanye West

Earlier last month, Lyor Cohen, addressed Kanye West in an open letter which has since gone viral.

Cohen, a well-known and influential figure in the hip-hop industry, started his career as a tour manager in the 1980s for Run-D.M.C.

He went on to play a vital role in the development of Def Jam Recordings, where he collaborated with artists like Jay Z, LL Cool J, and DMX, among others.

In 2000, Kanye, who had aspirations to be a rapper, started working as an in-house producer with Roc-A-Fella Records, a division of Def Jam Records.

Kanye produced beats and songs for artists on the label before the label signed him as an artist in 2002, leading to the release of his debut album, The College Dropout, in February 2004.

Cohen, who departed in 2004 to become the CEO of Warner Music Group’s recorded music division, became instrumental in bringing the label into the internet age, ultimately leading to his appointment as a senior YouTuber in 2016.

As the current worldwide president of music for YouTube, Cohen has worked continuously to close the gap between artists, labels, and the streaming service.

Cohen’s Letter to Kanye

Lyor Cohen wrote an open letter to Kanye West, the superstar who has estranged a large portion of the globe with his terrible antisemitic remarks.

Cohen, who used to be close to West when he was CEO of Def Jam Recordings, stated in his letter that Kanye should be more sensitive to the pain his words inflict on Jewish communities and all those who stand against hate.

He expressed how “deeply disappointed and troubled” Kanye’s recent actions, which involved the use of Nazi symbols and antisemitic rhetoric, made him feel.

He condemned Kanye for “choosing a path that sows discord and perpetuates harmful stereotypes” and not using his talent and reach “to heal and inspire, to bridge divides and promote understanding.”

Cohen’s letter came after West kept using X to label himself a Nazi and selling a T-shirt with a swastika on it.

Kanye West also went along with a Super Bowl ad for the webstore as part of his continuous rant against Jews.

According to screenshots, West later responded in an Instagram post that slammed at Cohen before swiftly deleting it. Since then, he has erased his page.