'The Demons Come Out': Kanye West Blames Alcohol for Antisemitic 'DEFCON' Tweet and Past Bizarre Behavior

Kanye West claimed that he was under the influence of alcohol when he posted his infamous antisemitic "DEFCON" tweet in October 2022.

The incident not only caused West to lose several business deals but also led to him facing significant public backlash.

During an episode of Candace Owen’s podcast, "Candace," West confessed to being intoxicated when he shared the controversial tweet.

He explained, “I was drinking when I put up the DEFCON tweet." The artist admitted to consuming Hennessy, which he claimed brought out his "demons."

When questioned about why he didn't reveal this detail earlier, West expressed that he wanted to avoid discrediting his words.

West went on a late-night rant on Twitter, now known as X, where he wrote, “I’m a bit sleepy tonight but when I wake up I’m going death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE."

The repercussions of West's actions have led to his suspension from social media platforms, in addition to him severing ties with major partnership deals with several companies like Adidas, Balenciaga and Gap.

Many of the brands who previously worked with West over the years released statements denouncing hate speech and asserting that such behavior contradicts their values of diversity and inclusion.

Despite facing criticism and financial losses, West remained steadfast in his controversial stance, refusing to retract his initial statements and repeating them in front of almost every camera he could get in front of.

While he expressed remorse for any hurt caused, he stood by his viewpoints, even amidst a 10-minute antisemitic rant in Las Vegas one year later.

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This is not the first time West has blamed alcohol for his bad behavior.

Six years after the "Heartless” rapper interrupted Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, he addressed the ordeal at the 2015 VMAs and attributed it in part to alcohol.

“If I had to do it all over again, what would I have done? Would I have worn a leather shirt? Would I have drank half a bottle of Hennessy and gave the rest of it to the audience…?” he said when accepting the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at the time. “After that night, the stage was gone, but the effect that it had on people remained.”