Jewish rapper Kosha Dillz song responds to Kanye’s antisemitism

Jewish rapper Rami Even-Esh, who goes by the stage name Kosha Dillz, has put out a song in response to Kanye West’s repeated antisemitic outbursts in recent weeks.

The song released Friday is titled “Death Con 3,” referring to a threat West, who now goes by Ye, made against Jews earlier this month.

Ye has recently repeated antisemitic outbursts across social media and in news interviews, including vowing to go “death con 3 on Jewish people,” claiming that he is the target of a “Jewish underground media mafia,” and that “Jewish people have owned the Black voice.”

“Death con 3” appears to be a mistaken use of the US military heightened alert status DEFCON 3

Even-Esh refers to antisemitism from both sides of the political spectrum and figures in the ongoing controversy in the song.

“This for all the right wingers, leftists who do absolutely nothing and pretend they make moves/For Ye lovers, Ilhans and Candace Owens too, you can all get dissed, I can’t tell who is who,” he says in the chorus.

Candace Owens is a conservative commentator who came to Ye’s defense, and Congress member Ilhan Omar gave a recent interview on antisemitism during the controversy. Critics decried her appearance on journalist Mehdi Hasan’s show, saying Omar has herself engaged in antisemitism.

Even-Esh also refers to criticism of Israel, racial rhetoric surrounding Jewish identity and antisemitic conspiracies in the song.

“Own land versus homeland, we all struggling/Only rep the people, I don’t mess with governments/Jewish but I’m faking? Skin color mistaken? Head rabbi from the synagogue of Satan?” he says.

“Not emo but I need a lot of blessings/Think you got hate bro? You should see the comment section,” he says, referring to anti-Jewish harassment online.

The video for the song was filmed around New York City, including in front of the Chabad movement’s world headquarters in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn. Another segment was filmed in front of a Judaica shop.

Even-Esh, born in New Jersey to Israeli parents, is an advocate for Jewish causes, including by participating in Israel-related events and supporting Holocaust survivors. He often refers to his Jewish identity in his music.

Ye was locked out of several social media accounts as a result of his comments. The Balenciaga fashion house dropped Ye after the outbursts, without citing a reason, and Jewish groups have called on Adidas to drop its multi-billion dollar partnership with the rapper.

Antisemites in Los Angeles, California on Sunday draped a banner over a freeway stating their support for Ye, declaring that “Kanye is right about the Jews.”