John Legend reveals when he believes Kanye West’s “descent” started
John Legend has recognized the second that he believes his former mentor Kanye West’s “descent” started.
The 2 artists have a protracted historical past, with West having signed Legend to his label GOOD Music in 2004, earlier than govt producing his debut album ‘Get Lifted’ later that yr.
Their relationship turned bitter after Ye’s quite a few public controversies, with Legend writing in 2022 that “I truthfully suppose as a result of we publicly disagreed on his working for workplace, his supporting Trump, I believe it grew to become an excessive amount of for us to maintain our friendship, truthfully.”
Now, in a brand new interview with The Times, Legend has mirrored on Ye’s antics in recent times. “I didn’t see a touch of what we’re seeing now, his obsessions with antisemitism, anti-blackness, and it’s unhappy to see his devolution,” he stated.
When requested when he believes the change in character occurred, he added: “I don’t suppose we’re certified to psychoanalyse him, however after his mom handed in 2007 there was undoubtedly a distinction. His descent began then and appears to have accelerated lately.”
Legend went on to debate his authentic collaborations with West within the 2000s. “Again then Kanye was very passionate, very gifted, and he had large goals not just for himself but additionally for all of the individuals round him. He had a lot optimism, a lot creativity. It does really feel unhappy, typically surprising, to see the place he’s now.”
This yr alone, Ye has written a string of extremely controversial posts on X, which noticed him take again his apology to the Jewish group for his previous anti-Semitic remarks and go on to declare himself “a Nazi”. He additionally wrote: “I like Hitler”, and praised Elon Musk as “probably the most lit individual that [has] ever been on Twitter”, following the latter being accused of constructing a Nazi salute at Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration.
In February, he got here beneath fireplace for promoting a white T-shirt with a big swastika emblem on the chest, listed as “HH-01” on his web site – presumably a reference to the “Heil Hitler” chant.
The location was later taken down by Shopify, although the net retailer later acknowledged that it was taken down because of the potential for fraud – not as a result of it was promoting a swastika t-shirt. Shopify did condemn the merchandise, calling it “vile, disgusting and inexcusable”.
Then, the rapper appeared to backtrack on his earlier feedback, taking to X to share that “after additional reflection”, he’s “come to the realisation that I’m not a Nazi”. Nonetheless, it was adopted just a few days later by but extra swastika attire showing on his X web page.
His album ‘Donda 2’ was launched onto all streaming platforms in April, just for it to be taken down simply hours later. That got here shortly after he lately joined Twitch, solely to be banned after seven minutes after he allegedly threw a Nazi salute whereas proclaiming: “Heil Hitler.”
As for Legend, his world tour in celebration of the twentieth anniversary of ‘Get Lifted’ begins later this month at Glasgow’s OVO Hydro on Might 27. See the complete listing of dates right here, discover UK tickets here and North American tickets here.