John Legend slams former mentor Kanye West and rapper's 'sad devolution'
Singer John Legend has commented on his former friendship with Kanye West as it's revealed why the pair no longer see eye to eye due to rapper's vile comments about Hitler
Singer John Legend has spoken out on Kanye West's "sad devolution" along with cutting comments about the rapper. John reminisced on his friendship with the music star as well as explaining the reasons for their fallout.
He first described Kanye as "passionate" and "gifted" before going onto say what he thinks about Kanye's most recent work which includes a song which samples Adolf Hitler's speech from 1935. John's own music career first launched when he was signed by Kanye to his label.
However, the duo are no longer close as Kanye started selling swastika T-shirts on his website and wore a black Ku Klux Klan hood to an interview. John said that his demise "does feel sad, sometimes shocking, to see where he is now".
The Times reported that John said: "Back then Kanye was very passionate, very gifted, and he had big dreams not only for himself but also for all the people around him. He had so much optimism, so much creativity. It does feel sad, sometimes shocking, to see where he is now."
West first rose to fame when he produced Jay-Z's album The Blueprint in 2001 before going on to be a solo artist where John also travelled with him. Despite falling out with Kanye in 2022 when the rapper came out in support of Donald Trump, John explained that he still owes him a lot for how far he has come in his own career.
"I didn't see a hint of what we're seeing now, his obsessions with antisemitism, anti-blackness, and it is sad to see his devolution," John said. Despite not knowing the reason for how Kanye is now, he thinks it could come down to the loss of his mother, explaining: "I don't think we're qualified to psychoanalyse him, but after his mother passed in 2007 there was definitely a difference. His descent started then and seems to have accelerated recently."
This comes as Kanye released a vile new song on VE Day which samples Adolf Hitler's speech from 1935. The song, called Heil Hitler (Hooligan Version), was shared on the controversial rapper's X/ Twitter account and featured a video showing shirtless men wearing animal fur.
The song ended with the Hitler speech, which translates to: "Whether you think my work is right, whether you believe that I have been diligent. That I have worked, that I have stood up for you during these years, that I have used my time decently in the service of my people. You cast your vote now, if yes, then stand up for me as I stood up for you."
The music video began with Kanye rapping: "These people took my kids from me and they froze my bank account." Kanye was referring to the children he shares with ex-wife Kim Kardashian.
He has claimed he hasn't been allowed to see his children and said he became a Nazi because of the custody battle with Kim. He rapped: "With all of my money and fame I still don't get to see my children / N****s see my Twitter but they don't see how I be feeling / So I became a Nazi, yeah b***h, I'm the villain."
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