American recording artist Kanye West is buying the social networking platform Parler. Details about the deal are not yet known, but according to a press release from Parler, the 45-year-old rapper will own the platform before the end of the year.

Parler bills itself as an alternative to Twitter, where people can say whatever they want. As Twitter and Facebook become increasingly strict about unwanted and extremist messages, Parler tries to differentiate itself by allowing everything. The platform has around one million users and is particularly popular in right-wing extremist circles.

Earlier last year, the platform was banned by Apple, Google and Amazon following frequent releases of far-right news and threats following the storming of the Capitol.

In a statement about the acquisition, West said it needs to ensure “we have the right to speak out.” The rapper himself faced a suspension from his Twitter and Instagram accounts last week after posting anti-Semitic messages there.

Influence

West, also known today as Ye, is one of the biggest names in hip-hop and has regularly been discredited for making controversial statements. He called slavery “a choice” and the Corona vaccine “the mark of an animal”. He also made a half-hearted attempt to become President of the United States.

As a rapper, producer and entrepreneur, West is very influential. His net worth was estimated at more than $6.6 billion by Bloomberg in 2020.