Kanye West to Buy Conservative Social Media App Parler
Kanye West is purchasing the conservative social media app Parler.
On Monday (Oct. 17), Parler Technologies confirmed the deal in a statement released on the Parler app.
"Parlement Technologies is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement in principle for Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, to acquire the Parler platform. The acquisition ensures Parler a future role in creating an uncancelable ecosystem where all voices are welcome," the statement reads.
Parler CEO George Farmer, also confirmed the purchase.
"This deal will change the world, and change the way the world thinks about free speech," Farmer said in a statement released on the Parler app. "Ye is making a groundbreaking move into the free speech media space and will never have to fear being removed from social media again."
He added the hashtags, "@kanye #parler #news #uncancelable."
Farmer is married to right-wing mouthpiece and Kanye West ally Candace Owens, which may explain how the deal came to fruition.
According to a Bloomberg report published on Monday, Kanye West purchased the app for an undisclosed amount. Ye reportedly said in a statement about the deal on today, "In a world where conservative opinions are considered to be controversial we have to make sure we have the right to freely express ourselves."
Parler was launched in 2018 as a free-speech alternative to more popular social networking apps. The right-wing leaning platform came under fire after it was reportedly used in part to coordinate the Jan. 6, 2020 insurrection on the U.S. Capitol. The app was subsequently removed from Amazon, Apple and Google. It returned to the Apple's App Store and Google in 2022.
The move comes after Kanye West's Instagram and Twitter accounts were suspended on multiple occasions, with the apps citing Ye for violating company policy for hate speech and bullying. Kanye has come under fire over the last two weeks for controversial moves and statements including debuting "White Lives Matter" shirts at his fashion show earlier this month and continuing to make anti-Black Lives Matter and anti-Semitic statements.