For years, a photograph allegedly showing the rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with an anti-Nazi slogan has circulated on social media.
The rapper faced widespread outrage and condemnation for antisemitic remarks in 2022, resulting in severe personal and professional repercussions that included the loss of major business partnerships and social media suspensions. In 2024, social media users shared the photo allegedly depicting Kanye in an anti-Nazi T-shirt to suggest a radical shift in his views. The image prompted many to say they "missed the old Kanye."
The image spread on social media platforms including X, Instagram, Reddit, Facebook, and Threads. One July 2024 Reddit post captioned the image, "A young Kanye West in 94 wear a shirt written say no to Nazis."
A young Kanye West in 94 wear a shirt written say no to Nazis
by inpics
Ultimately, no credible sources have confirmed the existence of such a photograph from Kanye's youth.
The authenticity of the photo, including details such as when it was captured, by whom, and the identity of the individual shown, remains unknown. Google and TinEye reverse-image search results showed the photograph had spread online at least since September 2017.
(www.tineye.com)
TinEye indicated the photo was first shared on Tumblr on Sept. 4, 2017; however, we found that it was shared the same day on Reddit by an account that no longer existed at the time of this writing. Moreover, while most posts claimed the photograph was taken in 1994, some stated it dated back to 1993.
A Google search for "say no to nazis new america" showed numerous websites sold T-shirts with the same slogan and image as in the photo.
(Google search results)
One Redbubble marketplace description for such an item said it was "A replication of a shirt design Kanye West once wore in high school." The shirts with the design were also promoted on social media:
Kanye Say No To Nazis' New America White T-shirt
Buy it now: https://t.co/sKlcEzpRqk
Home: https://t.co/ZJJTrvZX1g#burgerstee #burgersteestore #burgersteellc #tshirt pic.twitter.com/IPoWNq2foA— Burgerstee Store (@burgerstees) May 23, 2024
The photograph was also indirectly mentioned in the book "A Psychoanalytic Biography of Ye: The Legacy of Unconditional Love" by Robert K. Beshara, which we accessed via Google Books (page xxi):
How did Ye go from wearing a "Say no to Nazis new America" t- shirt in 1994 to a "White Lives Matter" long-sleeved shirt in 2022? How can one explain this face-heel turn, to use a phrase from professional wrestling? In other words, why was Ye susceptible to fascism given his radical roots?
However, Beshara did not provide the source of this information. We have reached out to him to ask for the evidence supporting his claim.
On Feb. 7, 2025, Ye shared the image on his official X account, writing, "I used to be woke too." However, it was unclear whether those words were an acknowledgment of the image's legitimacy or an endorsement of its creation, if it was fake. The post was part of a series of antisemitic statements in which Ye praised Hitler and declared himself a Nazi.
We will update this article if and when new information on the topic comes to light.
This isn't the first time we looked at a Ye-related rumor. For instance, in March 2021, we investigated whether he was the richest Black man in American history, thanks to sneaker and apparel deals made with Adidas and Gap.