Only weeks after visiting the White House armed with another inflammatory speech, rapper and controversivore Kanye West has returned to Twitter to take a few steps back from the direction he had been heading in. To open a series of Tweets he had posted yesterday, he claimed that he will be distancing himself from politics.
West has repeatedly proven himself to be a vocal supporter of President Trump, endorsing him at his White House visit as well as an unscripted, off air rant supporting Trump when he was a guest for Saturday Night Live. However, this current turn of events seems to be inspired by an event surrounding Blexit.
Blexit is a promotion run by Conservative commentator Candace Owens (whom West has previously supported and showed approval of) that urged and encouraged African American voters to leave the Democratic party. Owens had previously claimed that West had designed clothing for the Blexit campaign, but West, in response, said that he had “nothing to do with it.”
Owens responded to West, saying in a statement “I never once said that Kanye designed the t-shirts for BLEXIT. This is a lie that seems to have made its way around the world; a lie I would like to again correct for the record. Kanye was completely right to feel used in that regard and as I have done personally, I would like to publicly apologize to him for any undue stress or pain the effort to correct that rumor has caused him, his business relationships, or his family. He simply never designed them… I am a leader, and I would like to lead in this moment by stating that any and all confusion relating to this topic is therefore my fault, entirely… I would also like to publicly apologize to President Trump, as I know that Kanye’s tweets were rapidly misinterpreted as a shot to this administration… His tweets were aimed at me and me only, rightfully, for my personal failings. I [bear] full responsibility.”
However, Owens previously specifically said that “Kanye saw my original design, and said, ‘I can do it better.’ It certainly was. He redesigned the logo with vibrant colors inspired by his trip to Uganda.”
Regardless, West has tweeted that he’s been “used to spread messages” that he does not believe in, saying that his eyes are now “wide open.” He announced that he will be “distancing [himself] from politics and completely focusing on being creative !!!”
In the same outburst, he thanked his friends and family for supporting his “ACTUAL beliefs and [his] vision for a better world.” Detailing his vision, he said that “I support creating jobs and opportunities for people who need them most, I support prison reform, I support common-sense gun laws that will make our world safer.”
“I support those who risk their lives to serve and protect us and I support holding people who misuse their power accountable.
I believe in love and compassion for people seeking asylum and parents who are fighting to protect their children from violence and war.”
Check out all of his tweets below.
I support creating jobs and opportunities for people who need them the most, I support prison reform, I support common-sense gun laws that will make our world safer.
— ye (@kanyewest) October 30, 2018
I support those who risk their lives to serve and protect us and I support holding people who misuse their power accountable.
I believe in love and compassion for people seeking asylum and parents who are fighting to protect their children from violence and war.
— ye (@kanyewest) October 30, 2018
I would like to thank my family, loved ones, and community for supporting my ACTUAL beliefs and my vision for a better world.
— ye (@kanyewest) October 30, 2018
I introduced Candace to the person who made the logo and they didn’t want their name on it so she used mine. I never wanted any association with Blexit. I have nothing to do with it.
— ye (@kanyewest) October 30, 2018
My eyes are now wide open and now realize I’ve been used to spread messages I don’t believe in. I am distancing myself from politics and completely focusing on being creative !!!
— ye (@kanyewest) October 30, 2018