Feel like you’ve had enough Kanye West news since the enigmatic rapper returned to Twitter? Settle in and find a way to cope, because it appears there’s going to be a lot more on the way. Today, West released a new song called “Ye Vs. The People” on Los Angeles hip-hop station Power 106. The track is built around Ye debating the merits of his recent foray into political philosophy with T.I.
As opposed to his sometimes-rambling social media posts, the verses of the track force West to focus his defense with lines like, “I know Obama was heaven-sent / But ever since Trump won, it proved I could be president” and “I feel an obligation to show people new ideas / And if you wanna hear them, there go two right here / Make America Great Again had a negative reception / I took it, wore it, rocked it, gave it a new direction / Added empathy, care, love and affection / And y’all simply questioning my methods.”
In addition to suggesting that DJT cut Kanye a check to gain the rapper’s support, T.I. raps “What you willing to lose for the point to be proved? This shit is stubborn, selfish, bullheaded, even for you / You wore a dusty ass hat to represent the same views as white supremacy / Man, we expect better from you.”
I've got a new challenge for everyone today. Pick somebody that you had an argument with that you think you hate maybe even someone you haven't spoken to in years and contact that person and tell them I love you.
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) April 28, 2018
It’s still hard to decipher what about the message Make America Great Again attracts the rapper in the first place, but his warm feelings for our controversial president are probably summed up in that first line “it proved I could be president.” Many have wondered aloud if the reason that West has been showing love for Trump is that the rapper is enamored with the outsize personality and celebrity of Trump, which became so large that he was actually elected president. Some have pointed out that West has yet to defend any of Trump’s actual policies, though that may not matter to the legion of fans who have been deeply offended by his support of a president who has implemented policies many consider to be racist, sexist and anti-LGBTQ.
Here is a radio rip of the song. For those with Apple Music, the song is available for streaming.