Kanye West has come under fire for calling the Black Lives Matter movement a scam. He donned a shirt with White Lives Matter written on it at his surprise appearance at the Yeezy fashion show.
Kanye West calls Black Lives Matter a scam, supports White Lives Matter
“Everyone knows that Black Lives Matter was a scam now it’s over you’re welcome,” he posted on his Instagram Story on Tuesday.
The statement came soon after West wore a headline-making shirt with “White Lives Matter” written on it. The top had the pope’s face printed on the front. The artist wore the controversial attire at the Paris Fashion Week presentation on Monday.
Kanye West and Candace Owens wearing “White Lives Matter” shirts at his fashion show in Paris. pic.twitter.com/eJekZ8cGhe
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) October 3, 2022
West was spotted at the event standing next to right-wing Black commentator Candace Owens who wore the same shirt. Ironically, Owens has been vocal about the BLM movement in the past.
Criticism from celebrities and fans
After photos from the event went viral, celebrities such as Jaden Smith and Boosie tweeted about West’s problematic choice of clothing.
After pictures of models wearing the controversial shirt spread over the internet, fans and celebrities reacted on social media.
Jaden Smith, who was a show attendee, left early after seeing the message of the fashion show. “I had to dip lol,” the singer tweeted on Monday. “I don’t care who it is if I don’t feel the message I’m out,” he added. “Black Lives Matter,” and “True Leaders Lead.”
“Sending a “WHITE LIVES MATTER” t-shirt down a runway in Paris is literal insanity and no amount of gospel is getting that man through Heaven’s gate, I’m so sorry,” someone tweeted.
West has not made a direct statement on his fashion choice. However, he spoke to the audience at his show and reminded everyone that he cannot be controlled.
“I am Ye, and everyone here knows that I am the leader,” he said, referring to his new legal name. “You can’t manage me.”
West has drawn backlash in the past for his controversial statements regarding politics and race. In 2018, he expressed his support for Donald Trump and publicly wore the campaign’s red ‘Make America Great Again’ hat at multiple events and endorsed Owens on Twitter.
He was also criticized in April 2018 for claiming, “When you hear about slavery for 400 years… for 400 years? That sounds like a choice.” A few months later, West apologized for his comments around slavery and his decision to wear the MAGA hat.
