Rory Wei (10) | STAFF REPORTER
The situation continues to escalate. Kanye West has not stopped harassing Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson, leaving a bitter, unpleasant, and salty taste in online netizens’ mouths. Following months’ of enduring Ye’s cyberbullying, Pete has had enough and makes his first public response to the harassment. The diss track “Eazy”, which was released in mid-January 2022, was not even the worst of what the face of the world has seen produced from Kanye’s antics. Yet, this harassment truly got out of hand when Ye released a couple of inflammatory “art” pieces egregiously targeting and even going as far as personally threatening Pete as an individual. The first comprises of an animation of Kanye kidnapping, decapitating and burying an individual who unsettlingly resembles Pete Davidson. The second was a comic strip of sorts that was embedded with an eerie, ominous message: “Everyone lived happily ever after, except for skete you know who.” For those new to the drama, “skete” is the epithet Kanye venomously assigned to innocent Pete Davidson.
These messages delivered in the form of art irked and worried many netizens for Pete’s safety and the rest of the family’s mental health. Consequently, most agree that this when freedom of expression and art crosses the line and must be regulated immediately; death threats and hate will be never acknowledged as “art”.
Yet, Pete stands to be a force to be reckoned with for handling this dire situation in such a composed, rational manner, contrary to his hotheaded opponent. He took this into his own hands and decided to share a public response. Well, it was not actually Pete who did so, but his best friend Dave Sirus on his behalf who leaked a string of text messages to the public. Throughout the rather long conversation, it is crystal clear who is actively trying to subdue this enraging fire –if you guessed Davidson, you are correct! Compare the two’s actions: Pete, on one hand, offered Ye a civil, private rendezvous to mollify matters (via text messaging). Therapy for Ye’s bipolar disorder and other mental health illnesses is another option that Pete virtuously recommended, as mental health treatments have worked extremely well for keeping his Borderline Personality Disorder severity and suicidal ideation at an all-time low. Furthermore, Pete incessantly praises Kim’s parenting and states how lucky of a partner Pete is to have someone as a positive influence as her, assuring Ye to not worry about the kids. On the other hand, we have Ye producing art where he has dressed up as a wolf in sheep’s skin, potentially jeopardizing the safety of Davidson and refusing to accept his kindness.
In conclusion, there are two monumental lessons to be drawn from this conflict: there is a distinct line between art and hate and to never lose one’s head/cool under pressure. Regardless of who conclusively “wins” this fight, the Pete and Kim power couple have already won by being honourable, mature people who will be remembered as the ones who “put out the fire”.
