Kanye West’s tumultuous year continues, as the rapper’s custom Maybach was towed from outside the famed Château Marmont in Los Angeles on Tuesday. Photos show the luxury vehicle being loaded onto a tow truck, just hours after West was seen in the city with his partner, Bianca Censori. The car trouble comes amid ongoing fallout from West’s string of antisemitic statements and actions, which have drawn widespread condemnation from civil rights groups and public figures alike.
Car towed outside iconic Hollywood hotel
The incident occurred outside the Château Marmont, a historic Hollywood hotel known for its celebrity clientele and infamous past, including the 1982 death of comedian John Belushi. Parking is often scarce near the venue, which may have contributed to the rapper’s vehicle being towed. The 48-year-old artist, also known as Ye, had been spotted with Censori earlier in the day. Their outing comes after West’s trip to New York City earlier this month, where he attended the trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs. West has expressed public support for Combs in recent months, despite the ongoing legal scrutiny facing the Bad Boy Records founder.
The antisemitism fallout
West remains embroiled in controversy following months of inflammatory behaviour and antisemitic rhetoric. In February, the artist drew outrage by selling a white shirt emblazoned with a black swastika on his Yeezy website, an item labeled “HH-01,” which critics say references “Heil Hitler.”
The Anti-Defamation League condemned the merchandise, calling it “further proof of Kanye’s antisemitism.” Advocacy group CyberWell also intervened, alerting Shopify’s compliance team to take action. Although Shopify briefly removed the Yeezy store, West claimed in a February 20 tweet that his account was reinstated, though he declared he would not use it again. He also promised to wear the swastika shirt during the 2026 Super Bowl, tweeting, “Next year I’m performing at the Super Bowl wearing my wittle T shirt,” mocking critics while boasting about the shirt’s buyers.
Public figures and advocates push back
The backlash has been swift and vocal. Podcaster Van Lathan, who previously confronted West over his comments about slavery, slammed the rapper in a scathing February 20 post on X (formerly Twitter), accusing him of putting wealth over humanity. “I’m glad you’re rich,” Lathan wrote. “It seems to be the only thing you care about… No one is more of a slave than the man who puts money over dignity.”
Calling West “the slow kid in the Black community’s class,” Lathan added, “We realize this, and try to ignore you, until the baby picks up something sharp like Nazism or domestic abuse… then we gotta childproof things until you stop crying.”
Despite saying in a May 22 tweet that he was “done with antisemitism,” West’s earlier behaviour has left lasting damage to his reputation, with civil society leaders and former allies continuing to hold him accountable.