A Statement to the Entire Tampa Bay Community from the Tampa Jewish Federation Regarding Ye/Kanye West coming to Tampa
The Tampa Jewish Federation, almost every Jewish person in the region and well-beyond as well as a very large number of other people are deeply disappointed and disturbed with the Tampa Sports Authority’s (TSA) decision to contract with Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, to perform at Raymond James Stadium later this month.
We understand and fully support the concept of free speech as a bedrock value in this country. We also respect the need for artistic freedom in a democratic society. In addition, we recognize that the TSA generates significant and much needed revenue for our community through its management of county-owned sports facilities.
Despite all of the above, it is critical to recognize that Ye has publicly demonstrated a great deal of vicious hate directed at Jewish people and he’s taken antisemitism to frightening new levels. His well-documented and rancorous rants about Jews go much further than casual or careless remarks. He declared his admiration and “love” of Adolf Hitler, who oversaw the systematic murder of six million Jews; he stated that he “likes Nazis” and is one himself; and spread many dangerous conspiracy theories.
As a public agency, the TSA is accountable not only to its board of directors, but also to every person living in the region, including the Jewish residents. By booking Ye, the TSA lent institutional credibility to an individual who has caused genuine fear and anxiety to Jews across the country; from Holocaust survivors who hoped and prayed this type of virulent Jew hate would be consigned to the history books, to students of all ages, many who now think twice about wearing symbols of their Judaism such as Jewish stars or yarmulkes because they’re fearful of being harassed or even attacked.
Ye apologized for his behavior in a full-page advertisement in the Wall Street Journal titled “To Those I’ve Hurt.” In the ad, he attributed his statements to a “four-month-long manic episode of psychotic paranoid and impulsive behavior” saying that he “lost touch with reality” and stated, “I love Jewish people.”
The Talmud contains many teachings that emphasize repentance, forgiveness, the possibility of redemption and encourages people to forgive one another. We completely embrace those principles and hope Ye’s apology is authentic. Nonetheless, factoring in his sustained campaign of hatred, we think it’s much too early to consider beginning to forgive him.
Many Jews and non-Jews believe those comments were nothing more than a PR move rather than genuine remorsefulness, especially since his Jew hate assertions lasted more than two years rather than four months. There are several examples on record of antisemitic statements that he made from October of 2022 to February 2025, when he again posted on X that he self-identified as a Nazi and praised Hitler.
His comments weren’t made in a vacuum. A figure with his reach and influence who celebrates Nazism does not merely offend – he emboldens! Why should Tampa hold itself to a lower standard than the United Kingdom, France, Poland, Italy, Switzerland and South Korea — all of which have cancelled or banned Ye's performances because of his hateful rhetoric? The international community has spoken clearly. It is time Tampa did the same.
A Call to Action
- We strongly encourage elected officials and community leaders in the region and beyond to speak out against Ye’s exceptionally hateful comments and all forms of antisemitism. We’re very grateful to Senator Rick Scott and the growing number of others who have already done so; and
- We urge the TSA board and all levels of government in the area to join together to undertake a serious review of how and why the decision to enter into a contract with Ye was made and what can be done to avoid this type of travesty with other ‘artists’ with very problematic and/or criminal pasts from happening again.