Kanye West tweeted support for Donald Trump yesterday, saying that he is Trump’s “brother” because they both have “dragon energy.”
Kanye also claimed a right to “independent thought,” as if expressing support for a political leader is a revolutionary act.
You don't have to agree with trump but the mob can't make me not love him. We are both dragon energy. He is my brother. I love everyone. I don't agree with everything anyone does. That's what makes us individuals. And we have the right to independent thought.
— ye (@kanyewest) April 25, 2018
He also expressed some support for Hillary Clinton…
If your friend jumps off the bridge you don't have to do the same. Ye being Ye is a fight for you to be you. For people In my life the idea of Trump is pretty much a 50 50 split but I don't tell a Hillary supporter not to support Hillary
I love Hillary too.— ye (@kanyewest) April 25, 2018
But he was more excited about his signed MAGA hat.
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https://twitter.com/kanyewest/status/989227154993963009
Donald Trump appreciated the support.
Thank you Kanye, very cool! https://t.co/vRIC87M21X
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 25, 2018
MAGA! https://t.co/jFf5ONASlv
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 25, 2018
Many celebrities immediately unfollowed Kanye, including Ariana Grande, Rihanna, Harry Styles, and Nicki Minaj.
Justin Bieber, BTS, The Weeknd, Rihanna, Ariana Grande, Harry Styles, Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj, and Kendrick Lamar are among the artists who have unfollowed Kanye West on Twitter after his open support of Donald Trump. pic.twitter.com/UF1uw2IYH6
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) April 25, 2018
In a radio interview, Janelle Monae said, “I don’t agree with [Kanye] at all. I believe in free thinking, but I don’t believe in free thinking at the expense of the oppressed. If your free thinking is used as fuel by oppressors to continue to oppress black people or minorities, I think it’s bullshit and it’s not okay.”
Stephen Colbert responded on his show and posted the video to Twitter. “We have the right to independent thought but I independently think Kanye has lost his mind,” he said.
TONIGHT: Stephen noticed #Kanye getting "kinda political" on Twitter today. What's up @KanyeWest? Are you angling for a job in the Trump White House? #LSSC pic.twitter.com/pKTSxnOTVe
— The Late Show (@colbertlateshow) April 26, 2018
John Legend had a longer message about celebrities being “blind to the truth” of how racism and xenophobia affect everyday people, which he posted without referencing Kanye a little after Kanye tweeted.
I imagine there's some comfort in imagining a future without racism and projecting that onto the present. Thinking if we just deny the truth, it doesn't exist. If history is erased, we don't have to deal with its consequences. However…
— John Legend (@johnlegend) April 25, 2018
Far too many people don't have the luxury of closing their eyes and ears. They feel it in their lives and can't act like what they see and know doesn't exist.
— John Legend (@johnlegend) April 25, 2018
They know their family was destroyed by deportation or incarceration. They know their loved one was denied safe harbor because of their religion. They know their son or daughter was shot because their skin color evoked fear
— John Legend (@johnlegend) April 25, 2018
They see the statistics about black applications for real estate or loans or employment being turned away because their name was Jamal and not James
— John Legend (@johnlegend) April 25, 2018
I love that great, brilliant artists have the power to imagine a better future. But artists can't be blind to the truth.
— John Legend (@johnlegend) April 25, 2018
Rosie O’Donnell was more succinct.
hes a fucking moron kanye – wake from the illusion
— ROSIE (@Rosie) April 25, 2018
In the evening, Kanye tweeted that he doesn’t entirely agree with everything Trump does, but didn’t specify any issue in particular. And it took Kim Kardashian’s interference to choke that much out of him.
my wife just called me and she wanted me to make this clear to everyone. I don't agree with everything Trump does. I don't agree 100% with anyone but myself.
— ye (@kanyewest) April 25, 2018
And then he spent the rest of the day sending out shorter tweets of love for Trump.
https://twitter.com/kanyewest/status/989232654707912704
Kanye’s political opinions seem to have changed since he famously said in 2006 that George W. Bush “doesn’t care about black people.”
At least some of Kanye’s fans agreed with him.