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Kanye West Wears “White Lives Matter” Shirt During Yeezy Fashion Show

On Monday, Kanye West launched Season 9 of his Yeezy brand in Paris. In typical Ye fashion, the event was controversial and sparked outrage among his fans.

So what did he do this time?

Nothing too crazy for West, who has previous made numerous public appearances in a “Make America Great Again.” This time, he stood next to conservative commentator and influencer Candice Owens in a long-sleeved “White Lives Matter” shirt. Also in attendance wearing the same top was Lauryn Hill’s daughter, Selah, who the hip-hop community was surprised to see considering her mother’s involvement in civil rights activism.

Before the collection was put on display, West delivered a statement to his guests. According to the New York Post, he went into detail about his struggles breaking into the fashion industry, the 2016 robbery of ex-wife Kim Kardashian and his ongoing feud with GAP. He also acknowledged his role in popular culture as a habitual contrarian: “I am Ye, and everyone here knows that I am the leader. You can’t manage me.”

The slogan “White Lives Matter” was a pushback against the Black Lives Matter movement and often used by racists and neo-Nazi groups. One organization known as White Lives Matter claimed that it was “dedicated to the promotion of the white race and taking positive action as a united voice against issues facing our race,” according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. The group’s website was taken down in August 2016.

White Lives Matter opposes the “bastardization of the white race” through mixed-race relationships. One of its flyers read the following: “More whites die everyday [sic] through interracial offspring than the wars, abortions, accidents, and natural deaths put together. We must live geographically separated from other races with strict border control!!!!” (The Fader)

Yesterday, West posted on his Instagram story in reference to the “White Lives Matter” slogan, writing:

EVERYONE KNOWS THAT
BLACK LIVES MATTER WAS A SCAM
NOW ITS OVER
YOU’RE WELCOME

As usual, where he stands on the issue is unclear but the implications and influence of his actions are not.

Kanye WestYeezy
Karan Singh: I am an Indian American music journalist based in Los Angeles. My interests include (but aren't limited to) hip-hop, punk, rhythm & blues, rock and traditional world music. After working in the publishing industry as a copy editor for nearly three years, I decided to switch professions and become a writer. I have a bachelor's degree in English from UC Santa Cruz and a master's degree in Specialized Journalism from the University of Southern California. My aim as a writer is to explore the forces that energize creativity. I've always felt a natural pull toward the arts and entertainment space, and my stories seek to magnify the facets of its adjoining cultures.
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