Kanye West and Bianca Censori banned from Venice boat company over ‘transgressions’

Kanye West and his “wife” Bianca Censori have reportedly been banned from a Venice boat company following recent behaviour on board one of its vessels.

The rapper, who legally changed his name to “Ye” in 2021, was photographed with Australian architectural designer Censori enjoying a boat ride in Venice at the end of August.

However, some of the pictures showed the pair in a somewhat compromising position. West, 46, was snapped with his trousers down and his bottom exposed, while Censori, 28, appeared to be crouching between his legs.

Following the release of the photos, the boat company issued a statement declaring that the famous couple are no longer welcome on future trips. Both West and Censori have been banned from using the company’s services.

A spokesperson for Venezia Turismo Motoscafi – whose celebrity clientele reportedly includes Lady Gaga, Harry Styles, and Ben Affleck – explained that the driver had not seen “these obscenities” because they were looking out for traffic on the water.

The statement added that if the driver had witnessed the couple engaging in any lewd behaviour, they would have “immediately disembarked and reported the transgressors to those in authority”.

“In addition, there was a third person on board the taxi, who accompanied Mr and Mrs West, who obstructed the captain’s view to the stern in any case,” the statement read.

“We completely dissociate ourselves from such acts and behaviour. Mr West and his wife will certainly no longer be welcome on board our company’s boats.”

The Independent has contacted representatives of Censori and West for comment.

The pair are reported to have married earlier this year in a non-legally binding ceremony, having first appeared in public together in January.

The ceremony is said to have taken place two months after West finalised his divorce from reality TV star Kim Kardashian after six years of marriage. The former couple share four children together.

Since first rising to fame on the music scene in the early 2000s, the Atlanta-born, Chicago-raised rapper – best known for hits such as “Stronger” (2007) and “Waves” (2016) – has defined his career with smash hit records, critical acclaim, and numerous awards.

In recent years, however, the rapper has been at the centre of several controversies, making headlines not for his music but for his increasingly erratic behaviour and antisemitic remarks. You can find a full timeline of his contentious behaviour here.

In 2022, West was dropped by both Adidas and Balenciaga over his “hateful and dangerous” comments relating to Jewish people. CAA, one of the biggest celebrity talent agencies in the US, also cut ties with the musician.

Over the years, West has had his Twitter account suspended (and subsequently reactivated) numerous times due to his online behaviour.

Last December, West appeared on right-wing commentator Alex Jones’ show Infowars. During the interview, West made the shocking declaration that he “likes Hitler”.

Earlier that same year, he and right-wing commentator Candace Owens wore “White Lives Matter” T-shirts during Paris Fashion Week.

West has shared antisemitic conspiracy theories on Instagram, including one theory that posits that rapper Diddy was being controlled by Jewish people. When his account was suspended, West tweeted that he was going to go “death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE”.

When he was later questioned about said tweet during an interview on Piers Morgan’s TalkTV show, West said he “absolutely” did not regret sharing the tweet.

“I fought fire with fire. I’m not here to get hosed down,” he said. West did, however, say that he was “sorry for people that I hurt” and “confusion that I caused”.

His comments have attracted widespread criticism, including from fellow celebrities. Lizzo and John Legend are among the stars to have called out West, who, in turn, said that he “doesn’t believe” in the term antisemitism.

In March this year, after a hiatus from Instagram, West returned to the social media platform with a post stating that Jonah Hill made him “like Jewish people again”.

West accompanied the post with a caption, reading: “Watching Jonah Hill in [2012 comedy film] 21 Jump Street made me like Jewish people again. No one should take anger against one or two individuals and transform that into hatred towards millions of innocent people.”

West last released music in February 2022. The album Donda 2, however, was only made available to stream on his own streaming device, the Stem Player.

Prior to that, West released his 10th studio album Donda in August 2021.