Kanye West Says Wearing ‘White Lives Matter’ Shirt Was ‘Funny”

The 21 time Grammy Award winning rapper and producer Kanye West has responded to criticism of his choice of attire at his recent Yeezy Fashion Show: a t-shirt reading “White Lives Matter.” The rapper took to Fox News’ Tucker Carlson Tonight to deliver his response to the backlash.

CNN quotes the artist explaining that he wore the statement on his shirt because “it’s the obvious thing,” saying that “The answer to why I wrote ‘White Lives Matter’ on a shirt is because they do.”

He goes on to explain that he wore the t-shirt because he and his father, who he describes as an ex-Black Panther, thought that the shirt was “funny.” He recalls a conversation he had with his father over text: “I said, ‘I thought the shirt was a funny shirt; I thought the idea of me wearing it was funny.’ And I said, ‘Dad, why did you think it was funny?’ He said, ‘Just a Black man stating the obvious.’”

Carlson went on to ask Kanye why he believes that people found the shirt to be controversial. The rapper argued that the backlash stems from the fact that he acted differently than what the media approved of, going on to say that “Because the same people that have stripped us of our identity and labeled us as a color, have told us what it means to be Black.”

“White lives matter,” a more extreme version of its cousin phrase “all lives matter,” is well known as a slogan spoken in opposition to the Black Lives Matter movement. In 2020, Kanye West put his support behind the Black Lives Matter movement by joining protests and making large donations to the families of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor. In more recent years, his tune has changed with regards to the movement.

The Southern Poverty Law Center has described White Lives Matter as “a neo-Nazi group that is growing into a movement as more and more white supremacist groups take up its slogans and tactics,” created in response to the BLM movement.

Kanye West’s partnership with Adidas has recently been put into question following his controversial choice of dress at the Yeezy Fashion Show. A few months back, Kanye West received backlash after selling clothes inspired by “the homeless” inside of what appeared similar to trash bags.

Photo Credit: Megan Clinard