Kanye West Declares ‘Skete Davidson’ Is Dead After 9 Months of Harassing Him

On Monday, Kanye “Ye” West declared that the very-much-alive Pete Davidson had kicked the bucket in a bizarre, now-deleted Instagram post, just days after the comedian and West’s ex-wife, Kim Kardashian, reportedly broke up. The billionaire rapper-cum-designer posted a fake New York Times front page with a single all-caps headline that read, “Skete Davidson Dead At Age 28.”

Regardless of whether or not the faux paper was just another one of West’s sad attempts at humor, it’s part of a growing pattern of harassment and stalking of his ex-wife and her former boyfriend. As my colleague Caitlin Cruz wrote in February:

West posted about the pair’s custody fight (including an accusation that Kardashian withheld the location of their child’s birthday party); made a song about how he wants to beat up Kardashian’s new boyfriend, Pete Davidson; publicly asked her to come back to him while performing at a benefit concert; sent a truck emblazoned with the phrase “MY VISION IS KRYSTAL KLEAR” with a bed full of flowers to Kardashian’s home for Valentine’s Day; posted and deleted paparazzi photos of Kardashian and Davidson, again threatening him; repeatedly shared screenshots of his private communication with Kardashian; and talked about the dissolving marriage publicly.

Disturbingly, this wasn’t the first time West “killed” Davidson this year. In the rapper’s music video for “Eazy,” released in March, a claymation caricature of the comedian is seen kidnapped and decapitated in one version, and attacked in another. West also attempted to disseminate a rumor that Davidson had AIDS (shockingly, this wasn’t the catalyst for West’s 24-hour ban from Instagram).

Most divorced men who remain bitter about their ex-wife moving on would have simply let out a satisfied snicker at the news of the relationship’s demise, or sent a screenshot of the Kris Jenner-approved announcement to the group chat. Frankly, it’s unclear how many friends Ye has these days, but surely he could’ve at least gone back to resuscitating the Gap, or curating another it-girl instead of resorting to the not-even-slightly amusing bullying we’ve unfortunately come to expect from him.

Speaking of friends, West also took aim at fellow rapper, Kid Cudi, via the post. In smaller text beneath the headline, West mocks his former collaborator for recently fleeing the Rolling Loud stage mid-set, as attendees threw water bottles at him: “Kid Cudi meant to play funeral but fearful of bottle throwers.” West and Cudi had a falling out earlier this year—due in part to the latter’s friendship with Davidson—and West denounced him on Instagram (where else?): “Just so everyone knows Cudi will not be on Donda because he’s friends with you know who,” he wrote in a now-deleted post. “Too bad I don’t wanna be on ur album u fuckin dinosaur,” Cudi responded.

“It’s been a really weird thing to go through,” Davidson said of West’s public hatred during a stand-up routine in April. “People try to give you advice but even friends that are older than me are like, ‘I don’t know. He looks pretty mad, bro. Good luck! Sorry. Here if you need.’”

Kardashian is apparently “appalled” by West’s latest post, and who could blame her? Beyond the harassment and stalking, he’s dragged his Yeezys in their ongoing divorce proceedings, driving away five attorneys in the process. The two will reunite in court in December to finalize their remaining financial and custody issues.

Meanwhile, Davidson has stayed mum on the split, apart from donning a very loud T-shirt that reads, “What…I feel like shit,” and otherwise minding his business.

I’d feel like shit too if I was not only suffering a breakup with the most famous woman in the world, but simultaneously facing threats from her equally renowned ex-husband.