Kanye West has clarified his comments after saying slavery was a “choice”
Hey, remember how just yesterday we said that we “have to wonder what other ludicrous events are set to transpire between now and when Kanye’s next solo album comes out”? Well, Kanye West is nothing if not reliable, and has now attempted to clarify some controversial comments he made in which he states that slavery of African Americans was a “choice”.
Earlier this morning, Kanye appeared on a live chart with TMZ in which he touched on a lot of topics, including his previously unknown opiate addiction that occurred after receiving liposuction. However, it was Kanye’s comments on slavery that attracted the most controversy.
“I’m a black person, a [member] of the black community, but I’m not just that,” Kanye said. “I’m always gonna represent that, but I also represent the world.”
“When you hear about slavery for 400 years – for 400 years?! That sounds like a choice,” he argued as TMZ‘s presenters looked visibly uncomfortable. “Like, you was there for 400 years and it’s all of y’all? It’s like we’re mentally in prison.”
Soon though, TMZ reporter Van Lathan took Kanye to task for his comments, confronting him in a way that many have probably wanted to for quite some time.
“I actually don’t think you’re thinking anything,” Lathan said. “I think what you’re doing right now is actually the absence of thought.”
“While you are making music and being an artist and living the life that you’ve earned by being a genius, the rest of us in society have to deal with these threats to our lives,” he continued. “We have to deal with the marginalisation that has come from the 400 years of slavery that you said for our people was a choice.”
“Frankly I am disappointed, I’m appalled, and brother, I am unbelievably hurt by the fact that you have morphed into something that is not real.”
Following these controversial remarks, which have generated more discussion in just a few hours than a lot of Kanye’s previous actions, West took to Twitter to try and clarify the remarks he made.
“We need to have open discussions and ideas on unsettled pain to make myself clear. Of course I know that slaves did not get shackled and put on a boat by free will,” he wrote on Twitter.
“My point is for us to have stayed in that position even though the numbers were on our side means that we were mentally enslaved,” he continued. “They cut out our tongues so we couldn’t communicate to each other. I will not allow my tongue to be cut.”
Following a Tweet in which he compared himself to slavery abolitionist Harriet Tubman and famous rebel Nat Turner, Kanye explained that the discussion on race issues needs to be updated.
“The reason why I brought up the 400 years point is because we can’t be mentally imprisoned for another 400 years,” he wrote. “We need free thought now. Even the statement was an example of free thought. It was just an idea.”
“Once again I am being attacked for presenting new ideas.”
While there’s every chance that Kanye might be a little bit quieter following this controversial incident, the past shows us that, if he gets knocked down, he gets right back up again, so keep an eye on The Brag for more news on Kanye’s questionable decisions over the coming month.
Check out Kanye West’s full Twitter rampage below:
we need to have open discussions and ideas on unsettled pain
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) May 1, 2018
to make myself clear. Of course I know that slaves did not get shackled and put on a boat by free will
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) May 1, 2018
My point is for us to have stayed in that position even though the numbers were on our side means that we were mentally enslaved
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) May 1, 2018
They cut out our tongues so we couldn't communicate to each other. I will not allow my tongue to be cut
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) May 1, 2018
Kanye vs the media is modern day Willie Linch theory.
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) May 1, 2018
they hung the most powerful in order to force fear into the others.
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) May 1, 2018
they can no longer stop our voice.
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) May 1, 2018
if this was 148 years ago I would have been more like Harriet or Nat
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) May 1, 2018
the universe has a plan. I knew that TMZ would be awesome.
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) May 1, 2018
we are programmed to always talk and fight race issues. We need to update our conversation.
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) May 1, 2018
the reason why I brought up the 400 years point is because we can't be mentally imprisoned for another 400 years. We need free thought now. Even the statement was an example of free thought It was just an idea
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) May 1, 2018
once again I am being attacked for presenting new ideas
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) May 1, 2018
in school we need to learn how magic Johnson built his business not always about the past. Matter fact I've never even heard of a high school class that presents future ideas
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) May 1, 2018
when the media masses and scholars talk about what started today. Here's a title …
the overground hell road
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) May 2, 2018
I freed a thousand slaves I could have freed a thousand more if only they knew they were slaves. – Harriet Tubman
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) May 2, 2018
The article was originally published on Brag Magazine