Kanye "Ye" West is claiming artistic therapy.
Following widespread criticism over his new music video for his track, which depicts violence against his ex Kim Kardashian's boyfriend Pete Davidson, the 44-year-old rapper took to Instagram to explain his vision.
"Art is therapy just like this view," Ye wrote on March 6. "art is protected as freedom of speech. art inspires and simplifies the world. Art is not a proxy for any ill or harm."
He added, "Any suggestion otherwise about my art is false and mal intended."
Ye, who is in the midst of a contentious divorce from Kim, released the controversial animated music video last week. The footage shows a claymation figure of Pete being kidnapped, tied up and buried alive. The song, released in January, includes the lyrics, "God saved me from that crash just so I can beat Pete Davidson's ass."
At the end of the video, the words, "EVERYONE LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER / EXCEPT SKETE YOU KNOW WHO / JK HE'S FINE," appear, referring to the rapper's derogatory nickname for the 28-year-old Saturday Night Live star.
The disturbing visuals quickly drew backlash on social media, with several stars publicly defending Pete. When one Instagram account shared a screenshot of filmmaker James Gunn's tweet that described the comedian as "one of the nicest, sweetest guys I know" and a "truly generous, tender & funny spirit," actress Kaley Cuoco—who co-stars with Pete in the upcoming rom-com Meet Cute—responded in the comments section, "Fact," alongside an emoji of a red heart.
Kim, 41, who has been dating the King of Staten Island actor since November, also subtly showed her support by "liking" James' tweet.
The music video dropped just hours after a judge declared the Keeping Up With The Kardashians alum legally single on March 2. After the motion was granted, Kim—who shares kids North West, 8; Saint West, 6; Chicago West, 4; and Psalm West, 2, with Ye—made some adjustments to her social media accounts by removing "West" from her Twitter and Instagram profiles.
Ye has not taken the split well. In recent weeks, in addition to making the "Eazy" video, he has insulted Pete on social media while reiterating his wish to keep his family together. In an Instagram post on March 4, the rapper shared a piece of poetry that depicts how divorce feels in his eyes.
"Divorce feels like full blown Covid / Divorce feels like your doctor don't know s--t," his post read. "Divorce feels like your walking on glass / Divorce feels like you're running through a glass wall / Divorce feels like you're being bullied in a class hall / Divorce feels like you're getting beat up in the mall."
The message continued with further analogies such as, "Divorce feels like heavy breathing / Divorce feels like suffocating."
On the day of the court hearing, a source exclusively told E! News that the motion to become legally single is helping Kim move forward with her life.
"Kim is feeling a huge sense of relief now that she has been declared legally single," the source told E! News. "She is very happy and feels she is one step closer to reclaiming her independence and being able to move on in her life."