The School of the Art Institute of Chicago rescinded a doctorate degree previously awarded to Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, after a series of antisemitic and racist remarks the rapper has made publicly in recent weeks.
A statement given to NBC 5 from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago acknowledged the degree was rescinded Thursday morning.
"The School of the Art Institute of Chicago condemns and repudiates Kanye West’s (now know as Ye) anti-Black, antisemitic, racist, and dangerous statements, particularly those directed at Black and Jewish communities. Ye’s actions do not align with SAIC’s mission and values, and we’ve rescinded his honorary degree."
The school had initially awarded West the honorary doctorate degree in 2015 during its spring commencement ceremony, according to the Chicago Defender.
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The rescindment of West's degree is not the first instance of local backlash in reaction to his recent series of bigoted comments, with a mural of the rapper in the West Loop being painted over in late October.
The decision to rescind West's degree comes in the wake of a public petition on Change.org, with part of the petition's statement reading:
"Regardless of his contribution prior to the receipt of this award, it is harmful to allow Ye, as he is presently known, to continue to use the School of the Art Institute of Chicago to help legitimize hatred and violence."
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West, who grew up in Chicago's South Shore neighborhood, previously garnered critical acclaim and commercial success across eight solo studio albums throughout the 2000s and 2010s, contributing to his initial receipt of the honorary doctorate in 2015.
