Has Anonymous targeted Kanye West...and Kim Kardashian?
A YouTube video that many believe was uploaded by the hacker, or "hacktivist," group shows a person wearing a Guy Fawkes mask, a symbol of the organization also seen in the film V for Vendetta, throwing shade at the couple, notably the rapper.
The couple has not commented. The authenticity of the video could not be confirmed. A message posted on a popular, unverified Twitter account that claims to be associated with Anonymous, one of many, said, "Please keep us out of this bulls--t."
In a male, British-accented voice, the individual called Kanye "a spoiled child in a grown man's body" and also makes mention of Kanye's deceased mother, Kardashian's now-famous 2014 Paper magazine nude photos and the couple's 1-year-old daughter North West. Pictures of them are also shown, both photoshopped and unretouched.
The video, titled "Anonymous - A Message to Mr. West," was posted late last month and went viral this week, just as a rumor surfaced about Kanye getting his laptop stolen and possibly hacked, which his rep told E! News was untrue. He added that a recent leak of a new song by the rapper, "Awesome," which is about Kardashian, was "unrelated and completely coincidental."
Weeks before the so-called "Anonymous" video was posted, Kanye made headlines after interrupting Beck's winning moment on stage at the Grammys, a near-recreation of his 2009 MTV VMAs stunt against Taylor Swift. After the Grammy Awards, he told E! News that the rocker should have given his award to Beyoncé. He later apologized to Beck on Twitter. The reported "Anonymous" video opens with footage of the E! News interview.
"You're like a spoiled child in a grown man's body who is ready to set off a boiling temper tantrum the very moment you don't get all the things you want," the masked person says. "I bet your wife is subconsciously fed up with raising a little boy for a husband and I am sure your mother would have been so proud of your behavior."
West's mother, Donda West, died at age 58 in 2007.
"Would she have stood beside you and your wife's decision, you know, to 'Break the Internet' with Kim's full nude photos?" the masked person asks.
"Really, Mr. West, is this the best you could do with so many talented, artistic women across countries? By approving this irresponsible behavior, you are accepting the reality that one day, your daughter will face the repercussions of this photo with classmates in school," the figure adds, as a montage of memes parodying Kardashian's nude photos, including a Family Guy-themed one, and a stock photo of children in a classroom are shown.
The video also targets Miley Cyrus, showing a photo of the pop star scantily clad and riding a giant inflatable penis, a prop used during her recent Bangerz tour.
"After all, what's wrong with teaching teenage girls that society actually rewards you for posing nude?" the person asks, sarcastically. "Let's just influence the whole country to embrace perversity. That's a good way to lead society, as if it wasn't bad enough already. What a great idea you can teach your daughter."
The person attempts some objectivity.
"You see, Mr. West, we once had a great deal of respect for you," the "Anonymous" figure says. "We admired your art, creativity, original vision and nonconformity in your work. But now, Anonymous has targeted you here with this message because you disgrace what we stand for. When you self-proclaim to be a modern Renaissance prodigy in your radio and TV interviews, with such an obnoxious history, it pisses us off."
"I think it's time to awaken from your insanity, Mr. West," the person adds. "In reality, you're not a Renaissance man. You're just a new slave that the industry uses to help keep the population in a cycle of stupidity and distraction."
Kanye could use his fame, popularity and wealth to make more of a difference, the person implies.
"In case you haven't noticed, we're now living in a mad world that is falling apart and your obsessive interest in fashion will not benefit anything meaningful to help humanity's future in it," they say.
At the end, the "Anonymous" spokesperson's polite shade takes an ugly turn.
"You represent yourself as a man of class, yet everything you say and do is the exact opposite of that and for that, Anonymous would like to extend a sincere and jolly 'F--k you,'" the person says.
"Anonymous is sounding off the new Renaissance era this year for humanity and if you don't shape up, then your legacy will not be included," they add. "Poor examples such as yourself will not be tolerated any more in the new age."