Kanye West faces divorce rumors, talent agency fallout and AI controversy

Feb 13

Kennedy Felton Lifestyle Correspondent/Producer

By Kennedy Felton (Lifestyle Correspondent/Producer), Zachary Hill (Video Editor)

Kanye West, now known as Ye, is facing controversy on multiple fronts, including reports of a potential divorce. West’s representative denied the divorce claims, stating the couple will address their private life directly.
An AI-generated video featuring deepfake images of Jewish celebrities responding to West’s antisemitic remarks has sparked backlash, with Scarlett Johansson condemning its use without consent.
West is also experiencing professional fallout, as talent agent Daniel McCartney announced that his agency, 33 & West, is no longer representing him due to his “harmful” remarks.

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Kanye West has dominated the entertainment news cycle in recent days. The rapper, now known as Ye, is facing controversy on multiple fronts, from an AI-generated video to reports of a potential divorce and professional setbacks.

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Divorce rumors spark confusion

On Thursday, Feb. 13, The Daily Mail reported that West and his wife, Bianca Censori, are allegedly heading for divorce. According to the report, Censori could receive a $5 million payment following their short-lived marriage, which began in December 2022.

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The couple was last seen together at the 2024 Grammy Awards, where Censori wore a sheer, see-through dress while West opted for a fully covered outfit.

However, a representative for West pushed back against the divorce claims.

“Ye and Bianca are in Los Angeles, about to enjoy Valentine’s Day together. Announcements about their private life will come from them directly, not unsourced rumor[s] in the tabloid press,” said West’s representative, Milo Yiannopoulos, in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.

AI-generated video prompts celebrity backlash

West’s personal life isn’t the only reason he’s in the headlines. An AI-generated video featuring deepfake images of celebrities went viral after it appeared to respond to his recent antisemitic remarks.

The video depicted well-known Jewish celebrities wearing white t-shirts with the Star of David and a raised middle finger with “Kanye” written below. Celebrities featured in the video include Ben Stiller, Drake, Adam Levine, Lenny Kravitz and Scarlett Johansson.

Johansson, who has previously spoken out about the dangers of AI, condemned the video’s use of her likeness without consent.

“I am a Jewish woman who has no tolerance for antisemitism or hate speech of any kind. But I also firmly believe that the potential for hate speech multiplied by AI is a far greater threat than any one person who takes accountability for it,” Johansson said in a statement to CNN. “We must call out the misuse of AI, no matter its messaging, or we risk losing a hold on reality.”

Johansson also criticized the U.S. government, calling its response to AI regulation “paralyzed.”

The deepfake video was created by generative AI artist Guy Bar, who defended his decision to use the celebrities’ images without permission. In an interview with The Jewish Chronicle, Bar explained the urgency behind the project.

“It had to be very, very fast,” he said. “If we took time, it wouldn’t be relevant.”

Talent agency parts ways with West

In the wake of these controversies, West is also dealing with professional fallout.

Daniel McCartney, a talent agent at 33 & West, announced on Instagram that the agency no longer represents West.

“Effective immediately, I’m no longer representing YE (F/K/A Kanye West) due to his harmful and hateful remarks that myself nor 33 & West can stand for,” McCartney wrote.

Tags: AI, antisemitism, Artificial Intelligence, Celebrities, ChatGPT, Entertainment, Generative AI, Kanye West, OpenAI

[KENNEDY FELTON]

Kanye West, now known as Ye, has dominated the entertainment news cycle over the past few days. In the latest developments, controversies surrounding his marriage and artificial intelligence have emerged.

A Thursday report by The Daily Mail suggests that Ye and his wife, Bianca Censori, are headed for divorce just days after their Grammys red carpet stunt. The report claims the couple has agreed to a $5 million settlement following their short marriage, which began in December 2022. However, a representative for Ye is denying these claims, telling The Hollywood Reporter:

“Ye and Bianca are in Los Angeles, about to enjoy Valentine’s Day together. Announcements about their private life will come from them directly, not unsourced rumors in the tabloid press.” — Milo Yiannopoulos, Representative for Ye and Censori

Just shortly after the story of their rumored divorce was released, Ye took to Instagram for a quick post and delete. In the few minutes the post was still up, it featured a definition of “coercion” that read: “Coercion is the act of forcing someone to do something against their will through threats or intimidation. It can involve physical harm, psychological abuse, extortion, blackmail, or sexual assault.” He captioned the post, “Is this coercion?”

AI VIDEO FEATURING CELEBRITIES CONDEMNING ANTISEMITISM, KANYE WEST DRAWS BACKLASH

This follows Ye’s recent social media posts containing antisemitic and inflammatory remarks, which ultimately led to the deactivation of his X account. In response, a deepfake video featuring AI-generated images of celebrities, including Ben Stiller, Drake, and Scarlett Johansson wearing symbolic T-shirts opposing Kanye and antisemitism went viral. The AI-generated celebrities are seen wearing white T-shirts with a Star of David and a raised middle finger with “Kanye” printed under.

Johansson has not shied away from speaking out about the use of AI in the past, especially after one of Chat GPT’s models released a voice last year that closely resembled hers.

In a statement to CNN, Johansson says in regard to the deepfake video: “I am a Jewish woman who has no tolerance for antisemitism or hate speech of any kind. But I also firmly believe that the potential for hate speech multiplied by AI is a far greater threat than any one person who takes accountability for it. We must call out the misuse of AI, no matter its messaging, or we risk losing a hold on reality.” She further calls out the government and says it has been “paralyzed” when it comes to passing AI regulation.

The AI-generated video was created by a generative AI artist, who defends using the celebrities’ likeness without their permission.

In other Ye news, he has reportedly been dropped from his talent agency following his recent controversial remarks. In an Instagram story this week, Daniel McCartney said: “Effective immediately, I’m no longer representing YE (F/K/A Kanye West) due to his harmful and hateful remarks that myself nor 33 & West can stand for.”