In a since deleted Instagram post, Chris Brown has weighed in on Kanye West’s recent controversial remarks in which he wondered if slavery was a “choice.”
Unlike some other celebrities, Brown did not couch his criticism of Kanye by reiterating his love for him or citing his past “genius.” Likely referring to the recently platinum track “Waves,” Brown even blew off the track as some kind of evidence for why people should still pay attention to him. Brown went on to say Kanye was “on a path to destruction.”
Sometime later, Brown shared a clip of will.i.am’s recent reaction to Kanye’s comments on Good Morning Britain, adding that he deleted his previous post because “of the ignorance it represented with [his] delivery.”
Kanye’s recent opinions are indeed troubling. What began as an appreciation for conservative YouTuber Candace Owens and support for Donald Trump’s “dragon energy” has morphed into a refusal to be influenced by calm, nuanced arguments posed by concerned friends like John Legend, citing his “free thought” above all else. His recent outburst, made during TMZ Live, disappointed countless people who know full well the true effects of 400 years of slavery, which, by definition, cannot be a choice. Van Lathan, the TMZ senior producer who immediately checked Kanye’s outrageous comment and subsequently became a national hero, was one of the disappointed ones.
In an exclusive interview with Complex, Lathan stressed that “a lot of the things he’s saying are not only just wrong but also destructive, harmful, and dangerous” and that Kanye simply doesn’t know what he’s talking about or who he’s hurting when he says these controversial things.
Last night, Kanye attempted to clarify his comments about slavery. “Of course I know that slaves did not get shackled and put on a boat by free will,” he tweeted. “My point is for us to have stayed in that position even though the numbers were on our side means we were mentally enslaved.” Despite everything that came from it, he declared his visit to TMZ a success.
Complex.com