In a 2022 interview with Candace Owens, Kanye West revealed that he was under the influence when he posted an antisemitic tweet that sparked widespread backlash and cost him several business deals. The interview, shared on Wednesday, August 7, featured the 47-year-old rapper admitting that “the demons” emerge when he drinks Hennessy, the alcohol he had consumed before writing the tweet.

“I was drinking when I put up the DEFCON tweet,” West said during the interview. He elaborated, saying, “You wanna know what alcohol I had inside me? Hennessy. It turns us gray. The demons [come out].”

When Owens, the 35-year-old political commentator, asked why he hadn’t mentioned his intoxication earlier, West explained that he didn’t want to be “discredited” because he still believed that the comments reflected his “truth.”

The controversial tweet in question was posted in October 2022 and led to significant fallout for West, including action from social media platforms Meta (formerly Facebook) and Twitter. Both companies restricted his accounts and removed content for violating their guidelines. At the time, West had shared a screenshot of a text exchange with Diddy, alleging that the music mogul was controlled by Jewish people. He captioned the post with “Jesus is Jew,” which drew sharp criticism.

The American Jewish Committee (AJC) condemned West’s comments, accusing him of perpetuating antisemitic stereotypes related to greed and control. “Kanye West should figure out how to make a point without using antisemitism,” the AJC said in a statement, noting that West’s remarks contributed to “fomenting hatred of Jews.”

West’s social media activity continued to spark controversy after his appearance on Fox News’ *Tucker Carlson Tonight*, where he faced criticism for remarks about Jared Kushner and Israel’s peace treaty with the United Arab Emirates. West’s Twitter account was temporarily reinstated after a ban, and he later deactivated it in April 2024 following the announcement of upcoming adult content related to his Yeezy brand.

One of West’s most infamous tweets during this period involved a threat to go “death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE,” a post that was quickly deleted by the platform for violating its rules. In the tweet, West claimed he couldn’t be antisemitic because he believed “black people are actually Jew also,” further fueling the controversy.

The fallout from these actions has had lasting repercussions on West’s public image and business ventures.