Jewish Jonah Hill Defends 'Genius' Kanye West After Erratic Antisemitic Comments: 'Greatest Artist to Ever Live'

Jonah Hill still considers himself a fan of Kanye West despite the rapper's antisemitic past.

The Jewish actor and director lauded West, 48, as "the greatest artist to ever live" during an interview with interview with Apple Music's Zane Lowe uploaded on Monday, April 6.

"There is no artist I probably love more across any genre ever," Hill said, describing him as a "genius" before admitting that "the hate stuff sucks."

"What are you going to say?" he continued. "It sucks, no matter who you are, to hear that. Now, do I know what’s going on? No. Am I going to punch someone while they’re down? No, of course not."

The You People star's remarks happened to come one day before it was announced that West's controversial upcoming performances at London's Wireless Festival were canceled, as he's been blocked from entering the U.K. over his history of antisemitism.

The 24-time Grammy winner was supposed to headline the popular rap and hip-hop festival in July, but the decision to book him was met with widespread backlash.

Elsewhere in his interview with Lowe, Hill said of West: "I love him still, and I hope whatever happens, he can heal or whatever, and everyone can heal from all that stuff."

Meanwhile, the "Can't Tell Me Nothing" rapper responded to the backlash earlier today, revealing he'd been "following the conversation around Wireless" and claimed he'd be "grateful" to meet with members of the Jewish community in the U.K.

"I know words aren't enough," the artist, who recently blamed his inflammatory behavior on a brain injury, admitted. "I'll have to show change through my actions. If you're open, I'm here."

Per the BBC, Wireless Festival explained in a statement West had been denied entry into the county, and as such, his shows had been canceled.

While condemning antisemitism as "abhorrent," the message insisted that "as with every Wireless Festival, multiple stakeholders were consulted in advance of booking YE and no concerns were highlighted at the time."

According to the outlet, the British government's Home Office withdrew West's Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) on Monday, April 6, a decision that "was made on the grounds that his presence would not be conducive to the public good."

In a response to the move, a spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said, "The government has clearly made the right decision here. For once, when it said that antisemitism has no place in the UK, it backed up its words with action."

"Someone who has boasted of making tens of millions of dollars from selling swastika T-shirts and who released a song called 'Heil Hitler' just months ago clearly would not be conducive to the public good in the UK," their statement continued. "Wireless Festival, in its desperate quest for profit, defended the invitation until the end. That is shameful, and its sponsors should continue to stay away."