A GQ article published this week detailed claims that TMZ founder Harvey Levin edited out sections of a 2018 interview with Kanye West in which the rapper praised Adolf Hitler and discussed Nazism. The report drew from interviews with more than two dozen current and former TMZ employees, including Evan Rosenblum, who worked at the outlet for 15 years.
Rosenblum stated that West became agitated during the newsroom visit, pacing while discussing unrelated topics including opioid use and liposuction. According to Rosenblum’s account, West expressed admiration for Hitler and the Nazi ideology earlier in the conversation. After taping concluded, Levin allegedly informed Rosenblum that the Hitler-related material would be removed from the final version.
The GQ investigation suggested that Levin’s editorial decision may have been intended to preserve TMZ’s ongoing access to West. The article noted that this approach was consistent with other editorial choices at the outlet. According to reporting, TMZ obtained and subsequently shelved video footage of Justin Bieber using a racial slur, with Levin reportedly paying $80,000 for the material before removing it from publication. The footage eventually surfaced after being reported by other outlets, and only after TMZ had secured an interview with Bieber.
The GQ piece also referenced instances involving UFC coverage, noting that TMZ continued publishing exclusive content from the organization despite having obtained footage of UFC CEO Dana White involved in a physical altercation with his wife around the time Levin conducted an interview with White.
West’s public statements have included posts on X expressing admiration for Hitler and the release of a song titled “Heil Hitler” in 2025. In 2026, West placed a full-page advertisement in The Wall Street Journal apologizing for antisemitic comments, attributing his statements to a brain injury sustained in a car accident more than 20 years prior. TMZ has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the GQ article.
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