Kanye West doesn't just hold a grudge; he catalogs them. If you’ve been following the whirlwind that is Ye over the last couple of years, you know his social media presence is less of a highlights reel and more of a digital burn book. But in 2024 and heading into 2025, things took a turn from standard "celebrity beef" into something much more personal and, frankly, kind of jarring.
The Kanye West list of people who betrayed him isn't just one single post. It’s a recurring theme in his manifestos, often shared in the middle of the night and deleted by sunrise. One particular iteration of this "betrayal list" sent shockwaves through the industry because it didn't just target corporate giants or rap rivals. It targeted his own blood.
The Names That Left Everyone Stunned
We're used to seeing Kanye go after CEOs. But when he started naming his own children on a list of betrayers, the internet actually paused. It’s heavy. In a series of frantic updates, he listed everyone from his musical proteges to his elementary-aged kids.
According to various social media captures and reports from outlets like The News International and Hot 102.5, the roster of those he feels "bled him dry" or turned their backs includes:
- The Inner Circle: Jay-Z, John Legend, and Big Sean.
- The Family: Kim Kardashian, "The Kardashians" as a monolith, and even his own children, specifically North West.
- The Proteges: Travis Scott, Kid Cudi, and Playboi Carti.
- The Fashion World: Virgil Abloh (posthumously), Demna (of Balenciaga), and Adidas.
- The Surreal: LeBron James, Harriet Tubman, and—wait for it—Peppa Pig and Curious George.
Yes, you read that right. He actually included cartoon characters. While some fans argue this proves the lists are satirical or "performance art," others see it as a sign of deep psychological distress. Honestly, when you’re putting an animated pig in the same category as your ex-wife, the line between "genius commentary" and "total breakdown" gets pretty thin.
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Why Jay-Z and Kid Cudi Always End Up Here
The betrayal of Jay-Z seems to be the one Kanye can’t get over. It’s the "big brother" wound that won't heal. In his 2025 rants, Ye specifically mentioned how Jay-Z skipped his wedding to Kim and chose to put Kendrick Lamar on the Super Bowl stage instead of him. He feels Jay-Z and Beyoncé could have used their "cultural position" to help him in his custody battles with the Kardashians. Instead, in Ye's eyes, they just watched.
Then there’s Kid Cudi. Their fallout over Pete Davidson is legendary. Kanye essentially exiled Cudi from Donda 2 because Cudi was friends with "Skete." To Kanye, loyalty is binary. You’re either 100% with him, or you’re a traitor. There is no middle ground for casual friendships with his "enemies."
The Corporate Betrayal: Adidas and Beyond
You can't talk about the Kanye West list of people who betrayed him without talking about the money. The collapse of the Yeezy-Adidas partnership remains the biggest financial hit in celebrity history. Kanye views the corporate world not as business partners, but as entities that "enslaved" his creativity.
He has publicly lashed out at:
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- Adidas: For allegedly "stealing" his designs and selling Yeezys without his involvement.
- Gap: For not giving him the board seat he felt he earned.
- Bernard Arnault (LVMH): Who he has frequently blamed for various "industries" gatekeeping.
The vitriol toward the late Virgil Abloh is perhaps the most complex. Virgil was his best friend. They interred at Fendi together. But when Virgil got the top job at Louis Vuitton—a job Kanye desperately wanted—the seeds of "betrayal" were sown. Even after Virgil’s passing, Kanye has expressed a mix of love and deep-seated resentment that Virgil "sold out" to the LVMH machine.
Is it Satire or a Cry for Help?
It’s easy to laugh at a list that includes "The Jews" (a point of massive controversy and rightful condemnation) alongside "Patrick Star." But for those who have followed Ye since the College Dropout days, it’s mostly just sad. He often writes about being "in pain that no one person can fix."
The inclusion of North West on a betrayal list in late 2025 apparently stemmed from a disagreement over her fashion choices and her presence on TikTok. To Kanye, a daughter not following his strict creative vision is a form of betrayal. That’s a lot of pressure to put on a 12-year-old.
What This Means for His Legacy
Kanye’s "betrayal" narrative has become his primary creative engine. He’s the protagonist in a world where everyone is a "handler" or a "traitor." While this makes for dramatic headlines, it’s also isolating him from the very people who built his career.
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If you’re looking for a takeaway from the ever-growing Kanye West list of people who betrayed him, it’s this: the list says more about Kanye’s internal state than the people on it. Most of the "betrayals" are simply people setting boundaries or making business decisions that don't revolve around him.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Observers
- Check the Source: Kanye often deletes these posts within minutes. If you see a "list" circulating, verify it against multiple screen-grabs to ensure it isn't a parody—parodies of his lists are everywhere.
- Separating Art from Artist: Many listeners now choose to stream his older music while disengaging from his current social media cycles to avoid the "exhaustion" of the controversy.
- Mental Health Awareness: Use these public episodes as a reminder of the complexity of Bipolar Disorder. Public figures often lack the privacy needed to manage these conditions away from the "outrage machine."
The reality is that as long as Kanye has a phone and an internet connection, this list will keep growing. Whether it’s a billionaire CEO or a fictional monkey, nobody is safe from being labeled a "traitor" in the world of Ye.
Stay updated by following independent entertainment journalists who track his deleted "story" archives, as these are often the only places where the full, unedited lists survive.