Controversial rapper and producer Kanye West gave an interview to Fox News host Tucker Carlson on Thursday (October 6) to talk about his political views and pro-life stance.
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In the wake of the recent controversy at the Paris Fashion Show on Monday (October 3) in which West wore a White Lives Matter t-shirt along with several of his supporters, including Selah Marley, daughter of Lauryn Hill, West stopped by the right-leaning talk show to share how he does not believe in abortion.
West talked about a design he did of a “baby’s ultrasound” and when asked by Carlson what that means to him, West said, “It just represents life. I’m pro-life.”
“What kind of response do you get?” Carlson asked him.
“I don’t care about people’s responses,” said West. “I care about the fact that there’s more Black babies that are being aborted than born in New York City at this point. That fifty percent of Black death in America is abortion. So, I really don’t care about people’s responses. I perform for an audience of one. And that’s God.”
In other parts of the conversation, West talked about his White Lives Matter shirt, Donald Trump, and more.
“My so-called friends-slash-handlers around me told me if I said that I liked Trump that my career would be over, that my life would be over,” West told Carlson.
Of the controversial shirt, West said, “I thought the shirt was a funny shirt. I thought that the idea of me wearing it was funny.”
He was later suspended by Meta (Facebook) “for violating the company’s policies.” He took to Twitter for the first time in two years to share a photo of a hat with “2024” on the bill.
See the conversation below.
Following the now infamous Paris Fashion Show, West also engaged in a war of words with fashion designer Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, who was critical of his White Lives Matter shirt.
Gabriella criticized West’s choice of wearing White Lives Matter t-shirts during a recent fashion engagement at the Paris Fashion Week on Monday (October 3), saying, “The T-shirts this man conceived, produced, and shared with the world are pure violence.”
While Gabriella was one of many voices to critique West and his latest Yeezy collection, the “Through the Wire” rapper took the high road (not) and lashed out at Gabriella in an Instagram post.
One of West’s posts showed a full photo of Gabriella, who has overseen editorial features for Vogue and other publications, grinning into the camera, wearing a long brown trench coat, boots, and a blue bag. To which West captioned, “This is not a fashion person.”
Added West, who earlier this year got into another war of words with Daily Show host Trevor Noah, “You speak on Ye Ima speak on you, ask Trevor Noah.”
West then posted a cropped photo of Gabriella, focused in on her shoes, writing, “I KNOOOOOOW ANNA HAAAATES THESE BOOTS,” most likely implying Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour.
Gabriella had posted a video on her own Instagram account of one of West’s models, who is Black, walking the runway in Paris wearing the White Lives Matter long-sleeve shirt, which Gabriella called “indefensible behavior.” West also wore a similar shirt.
Wrote Gabriella the day of the fashion show, “I guess I get what he tried to do — he thought it was duchampian. It wasn’t. It didn’t land and it was deeply offensive, violent, and dangerous.”
She continued, “The tshirts this man conceived, produced, and shared with the world are pure violence. There is no excuse, there is no art here. As we all work through the trauma of this moment, especially those of us who suffered in that room, let’s have some grace for one another.”
West added another post, mocking Gabriella, sharing a screenshot of text messages with “Mowalola,” which is likely designer Mowalola Ogunlesi, who asked West to have a “real conversation about the tee” with Gabriella, instead of insulting her. Then, in his next post, West wrote, “EVERYONE’S GOT A RIGHT TO AN OPINION RIGHT THERE’S MINE.”
But Gabriella wasn’t alone in her criticism. Supermodel Gigi Hadid condemned West’s treatment of the fashion editor, writing, “[Gabriella is] one of the most important voices in our industry. And could school that disgraceful man in more ways than he knows.”
Hadid also called West a “bully and a joke.”
In addition, Kendall Jenner, who is the sister of West’s now-ex-wife, Kim Kardashian, supported Jaden Smith, artist, and son of actor Will Smith, walking out of West’s show. Jaden said he “had to dip” on the Yeezy display. Jenner backed the choice.
Wrote Jaden, “I Don’t Care Who’s It Is If I Don’t Feel The Message I’m Out. Black Lives Matter”
On Tuesday (October 4), West updated fans on the situation, after clearing his Instagram of old posts, by sharing that he had a meeting with his “SISTER” Gabriella for two hours.
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