Kanye “Ye” West raised eyebrows over the weekend when he renounced his widely proclaimed antisemitic and pro-Hitler views. He did so apparently after watching the film “21 Jump Street,” starring Jewish actor Jonah Hill. The film “made me like Jewish people again,” West wrote on Instagram. “Thank you, Jonah Hill. I love you.”
Whether the 2012 buddy-cop comedy—a remake of the 1987-1991 television series—actually changed Ye’s heart and mind is a standing question. But the rapper has yet to apologize for a string of antisemitic statements last fall that cost him many partnerships, most notably with Adidas. Following the loss of the deal for Yeezy-branded sneakers, West’s net worth fell from more than $1 billion to $400 million.
JNS sought comment from multiple people representing Jonah Hill but received no response. The actors declined to talk to other reporters as well, including questions posed as he exited a restaurant in Santa Monica, Calif.
The Jewish actor has faced criticism recently for the film “You People,” which he co-wrote and which critics say mocks Jewish identity and whitewashes the Nation of Islam’s long history of antisemitism.
