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On May 1st, 2018, a video surfaced of Kanye West while visiting the corporate office of TMZ. Kayne West participated in an interview with TMZ where he was addressing his choice to post a photo of him wearing a Make American Great Again hat. While interviewing with Harvey Levin and Charles, West began to discuss his views on “free speech” and “free thinking” by saying that “we aren’t taught how to feel free”. As the conversation escalated, West brought up how African American’s were enslaved for 400 years, saying “when you hear about slavery for 400 years. For 400 years? That sound like a choice! Like, you was there for 400 years and it’s all of y’all”.
After hearing West’s rant from across the room, TMZ employee Van Lathan chimed in giving his own opinion of West’s comments, saying “I actually don’t think that you’re thinking anything”. Lathan went on to say that he was “disappoints, appalled, and unbelievably hurt” at West’s comments about slavery. West later came over to Lathan to apologize for hurting him, however did not retract his statement.
Shortly after the video was posted to TMZ’s website, Twitter users quickly began to retaliate against West’s comments by starting the hashtag #IfSlaveryWasAChoice. Responses to the hashtag ranged from both comical to political in a way to react to West’s statements.
West took to Twitter to clarify his comments, saying “To make myself clear. Of course I know that slaves did not get shackled and put on a boat by free will,” he wrote. “My point is for us to have stayed in that position even though the numbers were on our side means that we were mentally enslaved.”.
Many celebrities have made comments regarding their own views of West's rant. Rapper Will.I.Am stated that West’s comments “broke his heart”. Singer Eve also stated on The Today Show that she is “done with Kanye”.