Kanye West Barred From Performing at the Grammys

When contacted by Variety about West’s removal from any potential performance at the Grammys, his rep simply sent over The Blast’s report and said, “This is confirmed.” And while West’s team didn’t offer anything further, The Blast claims that no one in his camp was surprised by this decision.

Related | Kanye West Banned From Instagram for Hate Speech, Harassment

Though West wasn’t on the initial list of performers for this year’s ceremony, which will be held April 3 in Las Vegas, it’s possible he was meant to be announced at a later time. Perhaps he was even planned to be a surprise performer, considering he’s nominated for five awards this go-round. Alas, that won’t be happening, most likely because West’s recent social media outbursts.

For months, West has been relentlessly harassing former wife, Kim Kardashian, and her new boyfriend, Pete Davidson, both publicly and privately. Though the even-keeled Davidson has continued to brush it all off, he has started being more firm in rebuffing West, including posting social media messages of his own, staking his claim on Kardashian. Kardashian, on the other hand, has been vocal all along about the harm West’s words are causing both her and her children.

His online bullying has become so drastic, in fact, that West caught a full block from Instagram last week. His account was banned for 24 hours, TMZ confirmed with Meta, for his posts that violate Instagram’s bullying policies. West’s IG ban came after he allegedly left a racial slur on a post made by The Daily Show’s Trevor Noah. On the show the night before, Noah brought up West’s recent behavior, calling it “terrifying to watch.”

"You may not feel sorry for Kim because she's rich and famous," Noah said, adding that no matter how much money or fame she has, she’s still "unable to get her ex to stop texting her, to stop chasing after her, to stop harassing her."

"But what she's going through is terrifying to watch," he said. "And it shines a spotlight on what so many women go through when they choose to leave."

Following the Instagram debacle, Noah posted a now-deleted comment aimed at West himself, telling him that he’s not out to get him — he just wants him to get help. “There are few artists who have had more of an impact on me than you Ye. You took samples and turned them into symphonies. You took your pain and through the wire turned it into performance perfection,” he wrote, according to The Independent. “You’re an indelible part of my life Ye. Which is why it breaks my heart to see you like this. I don’t care if you support Trump and I don’t care if you roast Pete. I do however care when I see you on a path that’s dangerously close to peril and pain.”

Noah also took to Twitter to say his intention was to “counsel Kanye not cancel Kanye.”

The Recording Academy has not addressed West’s removal from this year’s show, which will go on as planned on April 3.

Photo via Getty/ Scott Dudelson/ FilmMagic