The hits keep coming for Kanye West— and he keeps hitting back. After several companies cut ties with the rapper following his antisemitic remarks, his Donda Academy abruptly shuttered for the rest of the school year, then reopened “with a vengeance” just hours later. “With the help of our parents and community, we are back and returning with a vengeance!” a message sent to staff and parents on October 26 read, per TMZ. “The children of Donda are going to change the world!” The message further invited them to gather again “in worship for the return of Donda Academy” the next morning, Thursday, October 27. The educational institution’s principal, Jason Angell, had previously sent an email to parents of the students on Wednesday, Oct. 26, announcing the immediate closure “at the discretion of our Founder,” according to TMZ.
“Our leadership team will be working diligently to assist all families during this transition, ensuring that every scholar has what they need to succeed in their next community in a prompt and gracious manner,” Jason added, per the outlet. He went on to say that the Donda Academy “intends” to reopen in September 2023.
Kanye responded to the news on his own Instagram with a since-deleted post, writing, “Here’s the clout you’re looking for. My school is being shut down,” per TMZ.
However, it appears the closure wasn’t the nail in the coffin for the institution, at least for Kanye, as he got right back on his social media account to reveal his future plans for Donda Academy. Alongside a repost of 50 Cent’s Instagram where he pokes fun at Kanye for “cutting ties with himself,” Kanye wrote, “We got Donda school designs we need to build with 50 in Houston.”
Located in Simi Valley, CA, the Donda Academy is an unaccredited Christian-based preparatory institution. Parents are required to sign non-disclosure agreements before coughing up $15,000 per year, according to TMZ. The outlet also reported there were only about 100 students at the time of the closure, with nearly half on scholarship from Kanye.
The news of the closure is the latest fallout for the “Famous” rapper following his controversial antics. Not only did Adidas, Balenciaga and his own talent management CAA drop Kanye after the antisemitic outbursts, he was also escorted out of Sketchers after he showed up unannounced to reportedly pitch his Yeezy shoes.
Meanwhile, Kanye’s antics backfired in his personal life as well. He slammed his own ex Kim Kardashian over her parenting, blasted Khloe Kardashian after she stood up for Kim, and dragged the likes of Gigi Hadid and Hailey Baldwin the wake of the “White Lives Matter” shirt backlash. He also had his Instagram and Twitter accounts suspended temporarily.