Kanye West once famously declared that then-President George W. Bush does not care about Black people. This week, many social media users declared the same opinion about West.
A Yeezy Season 9 fashion show in Paris became headline news after Kanye West decided to wear a “White Lives Matter” shirt. Controversial right-wing commentator Candace Owens also wore a matching top at the event.
Some people believe the “White Lives Matter” phrase is a dog whistle for white supremacists. Additionally, critics claim the purpose of using “White Lives Matter” is to dismiss the Black Lives Matter movement for racial justice. Apparently, Kanye West has embraced that line of thinking.
West took to his Instagram Story on Tuesday to offer a response to the backlash he has received online. The billionaire entertainer/entrepreneur fired a direct shot at BLM in defense of his “White Lives Matter” outfit.
“Everyone knows that Black Lives Matter was a scam. Now it’s over. You’re welcome,” wrote Kanye West. The 45-year-old Donda album creator was likely referring to the reports about leaders of the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation allegedly stealing $10 million from donors.
However, the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation is not the same as the Black Lives Matter social movement. Many BLM supporters have generally worked as decentralized political activists with no association with the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation or other organizations.
Kanye West Repeatedly Faces Accusations Of Emboldening White Supremacists
This is not the first time observers accused Kanye West of tacitly backing white supremacist and white nationalist ideology. He was one of the most outspoken supporters of Donald Trump and his Make America Great Again movement.
Donald Trump’s political opponents claim the twice-impeached president regularly uses dog whistles to energize racist elements of his base. For example, Trump told the far-right, neo-fascist Proud Boys to “stand back and stand by” during a 2020 presidential debate.
Kanye West has gone back and forth with his approval of Trump and the white nationalist groups associated with the former President of the United States. The Chicago-raised rap star proudly wore a MAGA hat for years and expressed his “love” for Trump during a 2018 meeting in the White House.
In 2020, Kanye West expressed his disappointment that Trump reportedly “hid in the bunker” during a Black Lives Matter protest in DC. However, news reports also claimed that West’s own failed bid to win the U.S. presidency in 2020 received significant support from Trump-backed Republicans.
Additionally, West faced substantial pushback in 2018 after stating that American chattel slavery was a choice made by enslaved Africans. Ye’s slavery rant on TMZ garnered praise from people in Alt-Right circles. The Alt-Right is widely considered part of the extreme movement of white supremacists/white nationalists.
Constant Kanye West detractor Marc Lamont Hill criticized Ye on Twitter. The Temple University professor tweeted, “Kanye [West’s] decision to wear a ‘White Lives Matter’ shirt is disgusting, dangerous, and irresponsible. Some of y’all will rush to defend him. You should ask yourselves why…”
Kanye West decision to wear a “White Lives Matter” shirt is disgusting, dangerous, and irresponsible. Some of y’all will rush to defend him. You should ask yourselves why… pic.twitter.com/YT4a6c9tKI
— Marc Lamont Hill (@marclamonthill) October 3, 2022