Concern erupted among social media users this week after Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, posted a music video that appeared to show a clay animation version of Pete Davidson being buried alive.
Ye directly refers to beating Davidson, the "Saturday Night Live" comedian who is dating Ye’s ex, Kim Kardashian, in his lyrics. In the video for "Eazy," posted Wednesday, a clay animation version of what appears to be Ye kidnaps Davidson with a hood over his head and buries him alive.
At another point in the video, Ye holds what looks like a disembodied head. The final few frames are text titles that read: "Everybody lived happily ever after ... except Skete you know who. JK he's fine."
Representatives for Ye and Davidson did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The video was posted to Ye's verified Instagram account and a YouTube account for Stem Player, a business venture supported by Ye and the only device on which his new album, "Donda 2," has been made available. The Instagram video has been viewed more than 3.8 million times.
Many on social media called the video "unsettling" and "disturbing." Some also expressed concerns over Davidson's security.
"This video is disturbing," an Instagram user commented. "Clearly that is Pete and this should be a cause for concern. Like everyone giving hearts to Kanye when people should be calling 911 to protect Pete and to get Kanye some mental health help."
A Twitter user called Ye a "sick person" and asserted that some people have excused his behavior because of his music.
"Stop feeling sorry for him. He knows y’all will let him get away with stuff like this because he gave you good beats," the user wrote. "He’s harassing Kim and Pete and endangering his children. It’s not funny."
The video comes after a series of attacks levied against Davidson and a court decision to declare Kardashian legally single.
Kardashian filed paperwork last month citing Ye's social media posts for causing "emotional distress" and asking the court to approve her request to bifurcate their marriage. Ye objected to the bifurcation last month.
“Kanye has been putting a lot of misinformation regarding our private family matters and co-parenting on social media which has created emotional distress," Kardashian's filing said. "I believe that the court terminating our marital status will help Kanye to accept that our marital relationship is over and to move forward on a better path which will assist us in peacefully co-parenting our children.”
Ye's attorney disputed Kardashian’s criticism of his social media posts.
“The statement that ‘Kanye has been putting a lot of misinformation ... on social media’ is double hearsay,” Ye’s attorney wrote in an objection that was obtained by E! News. “Kim claims she read something online allegedly by Kanye and characterizes the posts in her declaration as misinformation.”
In a since-deleted Instagram post, Ye posted screenshots apparently from Kardashian expressing concern that his social media posts were creating a “dangerous and scary environment” for Davidson. He apologized for sharing screenshots of their communications and acknowledged that doing so “came off as harassing Kim.”
A judge approved Kardashian's request to be legally single Wednesday, the day the "Eazy" video was posted.
A representative for Kardashian did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.