The hip-hop world is no stranger to Kanye’s unfiltered rants, but his latest Instagram spree targeting Beyoncé’s mother, Tina Knowles, has crossed into territory that’s left fans stunned, divided, and demanding answers. On February 25, 2025, Ye—once Kanye West, now legally Ye—flooded his feed with cryptic posts that seemed aimed squarely at the 71-year-old matriarch, including a screenshot of an alleged DM from rapper The Game featuring a banana emoji, a clip of Tina walking on The Jennifer Hudson Show captioned “Game finna slide for the guys,” and a remix of Beyoncé’s “Formation” titled “TINA,” produced by Ye himself. As backlash mounted, reports surfaced that Jay-Z, Beyoncé’s husband and Ye’s longtime rival, had quietly warned him to back off, reigniting a feud that’s simmered since 2016. With Ye’s history of controversy—from antisemitic outbursts to nitrous oxide addiction rumors—this episode raises questions: Is it calculated promo for a new album, a cry for help, or the latest chapter in Ye’s unraveling?
The posts hit like a digital grenade. Ye’s first upload showed a DM screenshot purportedly from The Game to Tina, complete with a banana emoji—a symbol that’s sparked endless speculation, from innocuous memes to crude innuendos. Captioned “This Game’s phone,” it set off immediate confusion. Fans flooded the comments: “Why drag Tina? She’s done nothing but support everyone,” one wrote, while another fumed, “Ye’s lost it—disrespecting elders for clout?” Ye followed up with the banana emoji again, this time captioned “Tear that monkey up,” amplifying the absurdity. The pièce de résistance? A video of The Game laying bars over “Formation”—the track Tina had been serenaded with on The Jennifer Hudson Show—titled “TINA” and proudly stamped “produced by me.” Ye’s caption: “Game finna slide for the guys.” It was chaotic, pointed, and quintessentially Ye, blending pettiness with provocation.
Social media erupted. X (formerly Twitter) lit up with reactions, from fans begging, “Take Kanye’s phone away please,” to others defending, “But it’s okay when Tina talks shade? Hypocrisy much?” The posts quickly amassed millions of views, but the backlash was swift and fierce. One user quipped, “Ye’s new single is ‘Desperate for Relevance’—feat. Banana Emoji.” Another tied it to Ye’s broader struggles: “This isn’t funny; it’s sad. Kanye’s hurting, but targeting Tina? That’s rock bottom.” The emoji’s implications drew particular ire, with many calling it a veiled insult toward an older Black woman who’s become a symbol of grace and resilience.
Tina Knowles, ever the picture of poise, hasn’t directly addressed Ye’s antics, but her response has been masterfully subtle. On March 19, 2025, she posted a video from a book photoshoot set, delivering a “corny joke” with a sly edge: “What happens when a snowman throws a tantrum? He has a meltdown.” The timing was impeccable, coming days after Ye’s posts. Her original caption, later edited, read: “Corny joke time! It’s hard to remain positive and classy in the face of ignorance and evil. But I know that no weapon formed against me or my family shall prosper. This battle is not mine, but the Lord’s, I know that God has got this.” Fans ate it up, praising her for clapping back without stooping low. “Tina said ‘melt’ without saying ‘melt’—iconic,” one commented. Her faith-infused shade underscored her unshakeable strength, a quiet rebuke to Ye’s noise.
Jay-Z, known for his measured silence, reportedly took a firmer line. Sources close to the Carters tell us Jay reached out to Ye through mutual contacts, delivering a clear message: Keep Tina’s name out of his mouth. It’s a rare public escalation from Hov, who prefers letting actions speak over words. This isn’t Jay’s first dance with Ye’s volatility—their beef dates back to 2016, when Kanye publicly blasted Jay for skipping his wedding to Kim Kardashian, accusing him of abandonment during tough times. Ye even claimed Jay threatened to “shoot” him over industry disputes, and hinted at Beyoncé using her influence to blackmail awards shows. Just a day after that rant, Kanye suffered a breakdown, hospitalized under a 5150 hold at his trainer Harley Pasternak’s home—the same man who later threatened to “institutionalize” Ye again. Fans have long speculated the incident marked a turning point, with Ye alleging handlers tried to medicate him into submission, comparing it to Michael Jackson’s fate.
Ye’s paranoia has only deepened. In a 2022 interview, he claimed post-hospitalization, they pushed “insanely high” lithium doses to silence him, insisting, “If I had taken it, I wouldn’t be here.” His nitrous oxide addiction rumors, fueled by ex-chief of staff Milo Yiannopoulos’s 2025 affidavit, add fuel to the fire, with fans wondering if it’s self-medication or sabotage. Even 50 Cent, no stranger to beef, weighed in recently, forgiving Ye’s “attacks on Jewish media” but warning he’s in “dangerous area.” 50’s take? Ye knows exactly what he’s saying—it’s calculated chaos.
This Tina Knowles episode feels like a microcosm of Ye’s turmoil. Some see it as promo for The Documentary 3 with The Game, leveraging shock for streams. Others, like X user @hiphopcnation, speculate it’s tied to Ye’s swastika sweatshirts and AI-generated anti-Semitic videos, with Ye’s “dominion” claims over Bianca Censori alienating even allies. Lear Cohen, Jay’s mentor, penned an open letter urging Ye to reflect on Black-Jewish collaboration in music, but fans read it as a veiled threat. As Ye’s antics spiral, questions loom: Is this a cry for help, or is he burning every bridge left?
The Carter-Knowles clan, masters of silence, isn’t engaging publicly—yet. Beyoncé, promoting her latest project, has stayed above the fray, while Jay’s warning signals boundaries. Tina’s joke landed the knockout punch, reminding us why she’s the queen of classy clapbacks. For Ye, this feud might be just another verse in his chaotic symphony, but it’s a reminder of the lines even he can’t cross without fallout. In hip-hop’s tangled web, where loyalty flips like beats, one thing’s clear: Mess with the matriarch, and the empire strikes back.
