Rapper and fashion entrepreneur Kanye West is facing a backlash after he was pictured wearing a “White Lives Matter” shirt, during his latest fashion show at a surprise Yeezy show in Paris.
Showcasing his Season 9 collection, West gave a speech in front of a large audience in a shirt that was emblazoned with the Pope’s face in the front, and the controversial “White Lives Matter” slogan at the back.
Rapper Jaden Smith, who’s the son of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith, is said to have left the show after seeing the shirt. He later went on to Tweet, “I don’t care who it is, if I don’t feel the message I’m out.”
I Don’t Care Who’s It Is If I Don’t Feel The Message I’m Out.
— Jaden (@jaden) October 3, 2022
Doubling down on his stance, West took to his Instagram stories on Tuesday morning to further flame the controversy with a post that read, “Everyone knows that ‘Black Lives Matter’ was a scam. Now it’s over. You’re welcome.”
The 45-year-old’s comment was a reference to the "Black Lives Matter" movement, which was started following the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin in 2013. Condemnation of West’s latest antics have been swift:
Popular writer and podcaster Jemele Hill said, “So many folks are trying to excuse Kanye wearing a white lives matter t-shirt as just a troll move or marketing. Maybe it is.
“But it’s a dangerously dumb message to send for someone with his massive platform. I been off dude. But y’all go ahead labeling his foolishness as genius.”
So many folks are trying to excuse Kanye wearing a white lives matter t-shirt as just a troll move or marketing. Maybe it is. But it’s a dangerously dumb message to send for someone with his massive platform. I been off dude. But y’all go ahead labeling his foolishness as genius.
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) October 3, 2022
“Every three months Kanye SHOWS y’all and TELLS y’all he doesn’t care about the black community and yet and still y’all be right there at Sunday Service buying every GI Joe boot and every piece of raggedy fabric he drops. SAD,” added @mediumsizemeech.
Every three months Kanye SHOWS y’all and TELLS y’all he doesn’t care about the black community and yet and still y’all be right there at Sunday Service buying every GI Joe boot and every piece of raggedy fabric he drops. SAD pic.twitter.com/Qc4JxuloLy
— Meech de Lioncourt 🦇 (@MediumSizeMeech) October 3, 2022
“Kanye been this way for a long time,” explained @lilsexycimmie. “So idk why people are acting surprised at this point. Kanye has made it clear that race is only a problem for him when it impacts him (money, his personal life, etc).”
Kanye been this way for a long time. So idk why people are acting surprised at this point. Kanye has made it clear that race is only a problem for him when it impacts him (money, his personal life, etc).
— Bella Goth 🎃👻 (@LilSexyCommie) October 3, 2022
“Kanye West making Black models wear “white lives matter” shirts is a culmination of his anti blackness and his immersion in white supremacy ideologies and methods,” said @blu_alexia_. “Disgusting”
Kanye west making Black models wear “ white lives matter” shirts is a culmination of his anti blackness and his immersion in white supremacy ideologies and methods. Disgusting pic.twitter.com/yIaVKPYEBB
— ꧁༺ӄɛɛք ȶʀɨɢɢɛʀɨռɢ ʀǟƈɨֆȶֆ ʍɛɢɦǟռ༻꧂ (@Blu_Alexia_) October 3, 2022
This is, of course, not the first time West has sparked controversy over matters around race.
Back in 2013, he wore a a jacket with the Confederate flag on it and a few years later he described slavery as a choice before going on to controversially support Donald Trump.