Nick Cave is standing firm on his admiration for Kanye West’s music, even as the rapper continues to stir controversy with his inflammatory remarks and actions.
The legendary Australian singer-songwriter addressed his stance in response to a fan letter on his Red Hand Files blog, following his recent revelation that he wanted West’s “I Am a God” played at his funeral.
Since Cave’s initial comments, West has reignited outrage by doubling down on anti-Semitic remarks, openly declaring himself a Nazi, and selling a swastika-branded T-shirt on his website. One fan bluntly questioned Cave: “How the hell can you listen to the song without seeing the scum of a human being that Kanye has become?”
In response, Cave acknowledged the controversy while making it clear that he does not condone West’s actions. “Numerous letters have come in expressing, in no uncertain terms, disapproval of my fondness for Kanye West’s music,” Cave began.
“A lot of time and energy has been spent explaining the evil of Nazism, the harm of antisemitism, why it is wrong to sell t-shirts emblazoned with swastikas, and why it is unacceptable to coerce one’s girlfriend into standing naked on the red carpet at the Grammys.” he continued. “On that matter, it seems, we can all find some common ground. I agree.”
However, Cave pushed back against the idea of fully dismissing an artist’s work due to their personal failings. “The idea of an artist being divorced from their art is absurd,” he explained.
“However, the great gift of art is the potential for the artist to excavate their interior chaos and transform it into something sublime. This is what Kanye does. This is what I strive to do, and this is the enterprise undertaken by all genuine artists. The remarkable utility of art lies in its audacity to transfigure our corrupted state and create something beautiful.”
Cave went on to describe West as “an exemplar par excellence” of this concept, stating that despite his “brokenness,” the rapper’s music embodies the tension between “sin, transcendence, and genius.”
Still, he did not shy away from condemning West’s actions. “As odious and disappointing as many of Kanye’s views are, and as sickening as antisemitism is – in its sadly always-present, ever-morphing forms – I endeavour to seek beauty wherever it presents itself,” he wrote. “In doing so, I am reluctant to invalidate the best of us in an attempt to punish the worst. I don’t think we can afford that luxury.”
Cave’s comments come years after he previously referred to West as “our greatest artist,” praising his fearless creative approach. However, even then, he admitted that West’s troubling rhetoric made it difficult to listen to his music without hesitation.
As West’s latest actions spark further backlash—including his recent suspension from X (formerly Twitter), Shopify shutting down his Yeezy store, and his talent agency dropping him—many in the music industry continue to distance themselves from him. Ty Dolla $ign, West’s Vultures collaborator, has publicly condemned hate speech, while Charlie Puth and David Schwimmer have called for further consequences against the rapper.
Despite numerous controversies over the years, West’s music has long had a presence on the Billboard charts. His 2013 album Yeezus—which includes “I Am a God,” the song Cave wants played at his funeral—debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
