Kanye West, now legally known as Ye, is demanding people stop using his “slave name” and respect his official name change. His chief of staff, Milo Yiannopoulos, sent letters to streaming platforms, publishers, and media outlets, insisting they use “Ye” exclusively.
Ye legally changed his name in 2021, dropping “Kanye West” entirely. The letter describes him as “one of the most recognizable people in the world, on par with presidents and popes,” and claims using his former name disrespects his identity.
In a past interview, Ye explained: “‘Ye’ is the most commonly used word in the Bible, and it means you. So I’m you, I’m us, it’s us.” He added that the change reflects both the good and bad within us all.
Despite some online backlash, others have expressed support for respecting his wishes. Ye first teased the change in 2018, tweeting he was “the being formally known as Kanye West.”
