"Pretty Catchy," Joe Rogan Praises Kanye’s 'Heil Hitler' Track, Diminishes Anti-Semitism as 'Overreacting'

Joe Rogan, the world’s most popular podcaster, is facing mounting criticism after making controversial remarks that many see as defending anti-Semitic stereotypes and rhetoric, particularly in connection to Kanye West’s new song titled "Heil Hitler." The track, which has shocked listeners with its provocative lyrics, includes the line: “All my ns are Nazis, n**, heil Hitler,” drawing outrage for glorifying Nazism and trivializing one of history’s darkest chapters.

While Kanye West who now goes by the name “Ye” has a long and well-documented history of anti-Semitic statements, what truly disappointed many this time was Rogan’s reaction. In a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, aired on Tuesday, Rogan discussed the song with comedian Tom Segura. Rather than condemning it outright, Rogan said the track was “pretty catchy,” triggering widespread backlash.

Although Rogan initially stated, “I don’t think it’s a good thing to say, I’m not saying it. I definitely don’t think racism or antisemitism are good,” he quickly followed with comments that were interpreted as validating the conspiratorial message behind the song. “If you ban it, people want to hear it more, and then it gets more popular. That kind of reinforces what he’s saying, that if you talk about Jews, they’ll remove you from everything,” Rogan said. “They’ll remove you from banking that’s what he’s saying. They run everything.”

The conversation veered further into troubling territory when Rogan and Segura discussed Kanye’s diamond-encrusted swastika necklace. Rogan joked, “You know a Jew sold him that,” to which Segura replied, “Probably.” Rogan added, “Jews have controlled diamonds for a long time. They’re very smart about diamonds, because diamonds aren’t even that valuable.”

Rogan’s comments follow a series of podcast episodes where he has platformed controversial figures known for promoting anti-Semitic conspiracy theories. In March, Rogan interviewed historian Daryl Cooper, known for revisionist views on the Holocaust. Just a week earlier, he hosted conspiracy theorist Ian Carroll, who claimed Jeffrey Epstein was part of a “clearly Jewish organization” working on behalf of Israel, and alleged that the State of Israel was founded by organized Jewish crime figures, claims reported by Jewish Insider.

During the interview with Cooper, Rogan seemed to oscillate between expressing concern over rising antisemitism, especially in the wake of the October 7 Hamas massacre and criticizing what he described as exaggerated Jewish responses. “Then you start to think like your paranoid Jewish friends, that everyone’s anti-Semitic. And you go, now I kind of understand why they think that,” Rogan said. “So I get the overreaction, but it’s still an overreaction. And I think what you’re doing is very valuable,” he told Cooper.

The accumulation of such statements has fuelled accusations that Rogan is increasingly flirting with anti-Semitic rhetoric under the guise of free speech and contrarianism. Critics argue that his platform reaching millions, amplifies harmful stereotypes and normalizes dangerous ideologies, especially when he fails to challenge or contextualize such claims.

As both Ye and Rogan continue to attract controversy, the debate intensifies over the line between provocative commentary and the normalization of hate.