Kanye West tells angry audience he would have voted for Donald Trump
Kanye West may have posed for a selfie with Hillary Clinton, but he would have been a Donald Trump voter if he had decided to cast a ballot this year, the rapper told his audience in San Jose, California, on Thursday night. "[The Democrats] thought they had me because ... just because I was black or just because I was a celebrity," West told the audience to loud boos. "But Trump is our president. And that would've been my vote, so I feel right."
West had stopped the concert to expound on politics and many concertgoers in the blue state took the opportunity to leave:
"[Voting for Trump] don't mean that I don't think that black lives matter," West went on. "That don't mean I don't believe in women's rights, that don't mean that I don't believe in gay marriage."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
West's wife, Kim Kardashian, and his in-law, Caitlyn Jenner, have also expressed their support of Trump. "At first I thought, 'Oh my God, I'm so Hillary [Clinton],' but I had a long political call with Caitlyn last night about why she's voting Trump. I'm on the fence," Kardashian said in June. After outcry, she backtracked to say "I'm with her."
West himself has long been a Democratic supporter, donating $1,000 to Barack Obama's 2012 presidential campaign and $15,000 to the Democratic National Committee before the last midterm.
But others saw this coming. In late September, Hot Air responded to the Kardashian news by writing "This Twilight Zone episode of an election can only end in January with Trump taking the oath of office as Kim, Caitlyn, Kris, Kourtney, Khloe, Kendall, Kylie, and of course Kanye look on from the dais behind him."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
Is ChatGPT's new search engine OpenAI's Google 'killer'?
Talking Point There's a new AI-backed search engine in town. But can it stand up to Google's decades-long hold on internet searches?
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
Crossword: November 5, 2024
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
Sudoku hard: November 5, 2024
The Week's daily hard sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
Quincy Jones, music icon, is dead at 91
Speed Read The legendary producer is perhaps best known as the architect behind Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
OJ Simpson, star athlete tried for murder, dead at 76
Speed Read The former football hero and murder suspect lost his battle with cancer
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Momofuku's 'Chili Crunch' trademark uproar
Speed Read The company's attempt to own the sole rights has prompted backlash
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Kevin Hart awarded Mark Twain Prize
Speed Read He is the 25th recipient of the prestigious comedy prize
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Is Downton Abbey set to return for a final film?
Speed Read Imelda Staunton reveals that a third movie may be in the pipeline
By Adrienne Wyper, The Week UK Published
-
'Oppenheimer' sweeps Oscars with 7 wins
speed read The film won best picture, best director (Christopher Nolan) and best actor (Cillian Murphy)
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'Rust' armorer convicted of manslaughter
speed read The film's cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed by actor Alec Baldwin during rehearsal
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The Beatles are getting 4 intersecting biopics
Speed Read Director Sam Mendes is making four separate movies, each told from the perspective of one band member
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published