Kanye West courts controversy with Marilyn Manson appearance at Sunday Service
The presence of Marilyn Manson at Kanye West's most recent Sunday Service despite multiple sexual assault lawsuits has drawn an angry response from the shock rocker's accusers.
Manson stood alongside Justin Bieber and West, who has legally changed his name to Ye, at the service on Sunday, where the three appeared shoulder to shoulder dressed in white and standing in front of a choir.
Social media posts claimed to show Manson in a prayer circle with West and Bieber, and the latter saying at one point "we cast out any demonic presence on this day in the name of Jesus."
Ashley Morgan Smithline, who has accused Manson of physical violence and psychological and sexual abuse — told People magazine that seeing him at the Sunday service was "just like being retraumatized".
"It's heartbreaking. It makes me sick," she said, adding that it was "just showing the point that the world doesn't really care if you rape and if you beat and hurt all these [women], you can do whatever you want, basically, if you have money and you're a guy and you're famous."
Manson has denied all allegations against him and said earlier this year that his relationships were consensual.
He appears on Ye's Donda album, the rapper's 10th studio album which was named after his mother, and his appearance alongside Ye at an August listening party drew a huge backlash.
Ye has also taken heat over his collaboration with rapper DaBaby, who was accused of homophobia over the summer.
In an interview this week with Revolt TV's "Drink Champs", Ye was dismissive of the criticism and claimed that it was "1984 mind control".
"All the Me Too... like, when I sit next to Marilyn Manson and DaBaby right after both of them got cancelled, for five songs, you know, it's like they can't cancel us all," Ye said.
"They'll hit you with the accusations of somebody who you was with 10 years ago."