Kanye West on slavery: 'For 400 years? That sounds like a choice'

[Boiler 46,364]

“When you hear about slavery for 400 years,” he said. “For 400 years? That sounds like a choice. You was there for 400 years and it’s all of y’all. It’s like we’re mentally in prison. I like the word prison because slavery goes too direct to the idea of blacks. Slavery is to blacks as the Holocaust is to Jews. Prison is something that unites as one race, blacks and whites, that we’re the human race.”

 

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/may/01/kanye-west-on-slavery-for-400-years-that-sounds-like-a-choice

[smilesammich 10,727]

the reponse from van lathan was the best..

 

Quote

“I think what you’re doing right now is actually the absence of thought and the reason why I feel like that is because, Kanye, you’re entitled to your opinion,” said Lathan.

The sportswriter and podcast host then explained what it’s like being a black man when you’re not famous or creatively talented like Kanye West:

You’re entitled to believe whatever you want, but there is fact and real world, real life consequence behind everything you just said. And while you are making music and being an artist and living the life that you’ve earned by being a genius, the rest of us in society have to deal with these threats to our lives. We have to deal with the marginalization that has come from the 400 years of slavery that you said for our people was a choice.

Lathan said he was not only “disappointed” and “appalled,” but also hurt: “I am unbelievably hurt by the fact that you have morphed into something, to me, that is not real.”

The clip ends with Lathan insisting that West be responsible and West apologizing profusely. HuffPost reached out to Lathan for further comment and did not immediately get a response.

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/kanye-west-slavery-tmz_us_5ae8c54ce4b00f70f0ecc118

[Dashinka 24,973]

Not a big Kanye fan, but isn't he simply advocating against identity politics?

[smilesammich 10,727]

3 hours ago, Bill & Katya said:

Not a big Kanye fan, but isn't he simply advocating against identity politics?

if you listen to his rambles, no. he's not.

[Dashinka 24,973]

4 minutes ago, smilesammich said:

if you listen to his rambles, no. he's not.

I guess that is a matter of opinion, but it sure seems that way, and based on the responses from the so called minority leaders, they appear to be CYAing to keep their flocks in line.

[smilesammich 10,727]

4 minutes ago, Bill & Katya said:

I guess that is a matter of opinion, but it sure seems that way, and based on the responses from the so called minority leaders, they appear to be CYAing to keep their flocks in line.

can i ask what responses/minority leaders you're referring to? i've seen nothing of the sort.

[Dashinka 24,973]

10 minutes ago, smilesammich said:

can i ask what responses/minority leaders you're referring to? i've seen nothing of the sort.

Here is an idiot professor that responded and his response seemed imply that he hadn't even heard the whole thing KW said.  First of all, KW mentioned 400 years, well, I believe slavery began in North America in 1619 and ended in 1865 which works out to 246 years (appalling), but KW said 400 years, so is he just a rambling idiot like you say, or did he mean 2018/2019?  When he said people were choosing to be slaves, I believe he was talking about the last 154 years and particularly at the present and how people don't think for themselves and only follow the lead of their identity category leaders.  KW is not a soft speaker like many on the left are, but I don't think what he said was completely off base.  Regardless, there will always be haters.

 

http://www.complex.com/music/2018/05/history-professor-addresses-kanye-west-slavery-statements

[smilesammich 10,727]

42 minutes ago, Bill & Katya said:

Here is an idiot professor that responded and his response seemed imply that he hadn't even heard the whole thing KW said.  First of all, KW mentioned 400 years, well, I believe slavery began in North America in 1619 and ended in 1865 which works out to 246 years (appalling), but KW said 400 years, so is he just a rambling idiot like you say, or did he mean 2018/2019?  When he said people were choosing to be slaves, I believe he was talking about the last 154 years and particularly at the present and how people don't think for themselves and only follow the lead of their identity category leaders.  KW is not a soft speaker like many on the left are, but I don't think what he said was completely off base.  Regardless, there will always be haters.

 

http://www.complex.com/music/2018/05/history-professor-addresses-kanye-west-slavery-statements

well, kayne has made lots of ridiculous comments over the past week or so. it started on twitter and then he went on tmz and went full on insane so i don't doubt that this professor isn't aware of all his comments. it's not like everyone is hanging on every word that tumbles from kayne's mouth.

concerning the 400 years comment, i don't know how kayne came up with that number or if he was limiting himself to slavery in north america. doesn't matter. kayne has also made remarks about being 'too busy making history to read it' besides not being a reader in general so..there's that.

personally, i think it's a bit condescending of a multi millionaire to tell an entire race of people that they don't 'have to' vote democratic, as if they weren't aware they had the freedom of choice to begin with.

but why did you call this professor an idiot?

[Boiler 46,364]

Slaves can be used in several senses, I assume he was referring to the current attitude as demonstrated by the 8 wasted years.

 

Similar to how the left took to the working class for granted.

[Dashinka 24,973]

7 minutes ago, smilesammich said:

well, kayne has made lots of ridiculous comments over the past week or so. it started on twitter and then he went on tmz and went full on insane so i don't doubt that this professor isn't aware of all his comments. it's not like everyone is hanging on every word that tumbles from kayne's mouth.

concerning the 400 years comment, i don't know how kayne came up with that number or if he was limiting himself to slavery in north america. doesn't matter. kayne has also made remarks about being 'too busy making history to read it' besides not being a reader in general so..there's that.

personally, i think it's a bit condescending of a multi millionaire to tell an entire race of people that they don't 'have to' vote democratic, as if they weren't aware they had the freedom of choice to begin with.

but why did you call this professor an idiot?

Yes, of course he must be dismissed as making ridiculous comments since it strayed from the identity category he is supposed to belong to and actually supported Trump which many haters consider a travesty.  The 400 years is easy, 2019 - 1619.  It was quite obvious he was not saying those brought over here as slaves came by choice, but he has a point relative to those folks today that are too tied to their identity category and don't think for themselves.  This can also be a form of slavery. 

[smilesammich 10,727]

4 minutes ago, Bill & Katya said:

Yes, of course he must be dismissed as making ridiculous comments since it strayed from the identity category he is supposed to belong to and actually supported Trump which many haters consider a travesty.  The 400 years is easy, 2019 - 1619.  It was quite obvious he was not saying those brought over here as slaves came by choice, but he has a point relative to those folks today that are too tied to their identity category and don't think for themselves.  This can also be a form of slavery. 

well, i guess if a person believes all black people think the same and all black people fit into one cohesive 'identify category' kayne's comments might seem righteous.

it seems like you're saying if black people don't support trump they don't think for themselves?  in my opinion, trump supports racists and racist ideologies and that is why many americans can't stand him and reject anything he says. that's why many people find kayne's support of trump a travesty, it has nothing to do with kayne's right to his own opinion or 'free thinking'.

then there are those of us who realize kayne has an album coming out soon and this is all a song and dance to sell albums. speaking of slavery, the mortgage on a 20 million dollar house must be obscene.

 

[bcking 3,157]

 

4 hours ago, Bill & Katya said:

Not a big Kanye fan, but isn't he simply advocating against identity politics?

I think you are giving him too much credit, in terms of "intelligent thought". Most of the quote that you shared here is rambling that doesn't really even make sense.

 

1. 400 years of slavery makes it a choice? How does that work exactly?
2. Who was there for 400 years? No one is anywhere for 400 years. 
3. "It's all of y'all" - What is "it"? What is he even talking about? Does he mean "It's all of y'all's fault"? Why leave out the subject of the sentence? I also didn't watch the interview but wasn't he being interviewed by a black person? So he is claiming it is black people's fault that they were slaves?
4. We're mentally in prison - He suddenly jumped to the present (I assume that was intentional but I really don't know)
5. Slavery, while commonly used to discuss the African slave trade, can apply to a number of different cultures but I guess I'll give him this statement. Yes it generally refers to that.
6. Using the word slavery instead of prison implies he is actually talking about the past, but again it seems like he jumped to the present? No one would suggest Black's are currently enslaved. I'd call that insensitive if anyone did so not sure why he is seeing he wants to use the word prison instead of slavery. 
7. Also just to be clear - In a very literal sense slavery is NOT the same thing as prison so I really hope he isn't talking about literal prison here and he is implying more a "mental prison" in the present tense
8. Slavery is to blacks as the Holocaust is to Jews - No. I'd gladly "poll the audience" and ask people who are either Black of Jewish but I would say most wouldn't compare the two. That doesn't minimize either one, they were both horrible. But they were quite different.
9. Prison is something that unites us - How does it? How am I united to him because of prison exactly? As I said before I think he is talking about a "mental prison" but I still don't see his point here. I wouldn't say that applies to me in any way and it doesn't seem to unite me to anyone else.

 

[smilesammich 10,727]

like i said, one has to assume that black people currently don't think for themselves in order to agree with anything kayne said at tmz.

[Dashinka 24,973]

Just now, bcking said:

 

I think you are giving him too much credit, in terms of "intelligent thought". Most of the quote that you shared here is rambling that doesn't really even make sense.

 

1. 400 years of slavery makes it a choice? How does that work exactly?
2. Who was there for 400 years? No one is anywhere for 400 years. 
3. "It's all of y'all" - What is "it"? What is he even talking about? Does he mean "It's all of y'all's fault"? Why leave out the subject of the sentence? I also didn't watch the interview but wasn't he being interviewed by a black person? So he is claiming it is black people's fault that they were slaves?
4. We're mentally in prison - He suddenly jumped to the present (I assume that was intentional but I really don't know)
5. Slavery, while commonly used to discuss the African slave trade, can apply to a number of different cultures but I guess I'll give him this statement. Yes it generally refers to that.
6. Using the word slavery instead of prison implies he is actually talking about the past, but again it seems like he jumped to the present? No one would suggest Black's are currently enslaved. I'd call that insensitive if anyone did so not sure why he is seeing he wants to use the word prison instead of slavery. 
7. Also just to be clear - In a very literal sense slavery is NOT the same thing as prison so I really hope he isn't talking about literal prison here and he is implying more a "mental prison" in the present tense
8. Slavery is to blacks as the Holocaust is to Jews - No. I'd gladly "poll the audience" and ask people who are either Black of Jewish but I would say most wouldn't compare the two. That doesn't minimize either one, they were both horrible. But they were quite different.
9. Prison is something that unites us - How does it? How am I united to him because of prison exactly? As I said before I think he is talking about a "mental prison" but I still don't see his point here. I wouldn't say that applies to me in any way and it doesn't seem to unite me to anyone else.

 

1. 2019 - 1619.

2. He is implying that many people today are slaves to their political masters and this is their choice.

3.  I believe he is talking about the political masters here which would include the media.

4-9.  I think he is saying that people who do not think for themselves are choosing to be tied to another master that leads them.  Maybe using the term "slave" is too strong, but heck, it is KW, he has a license to use words that are forbidden for many.

10 minutes ago, smilesammich said:

well, i guess if a person believes all black people think the same and all black people fit into one cohesive 'identify category' kayne's comments might seem righteous.

it seems like you're saying if black people don't support trump they don't think for themselves?  in my opinion, trump supports racists and racist ideologies and that is why many americans can't stand him and reject anything he says. that's why many people find kayne's support of trump a travesty, it has nothing to do with kayne's right to his own opinion or 'free thinking'.

then there are those of us who realize kayne has an album coming out soon and this is all a song and dance to sell albums. speaking of slavery, the mortgage on a 20 million dollar house must be obscene.

 

I am not saying a black person should or has to support Trump, not sure where that came from, so I will ask you a similar question, should all black people support the Democrats?  Everyone needs to be free thinkers and not just echo the narratives of their identity category masters.  It is interesting, however, how many of Trump's policies have benefitted black people.  I know, Trump is a blatant racist, so I am sure he held back from benefitting them more.  People are allowed to think for themselves and they should!  They should not be tied to a political identity created by a bunch of political leaders that only want to keep the masses in line and voting for them.

[Dashinka 24,973]

8 minutes ago, smilesammich said:

like i said, one has to assume that black people currently don't think for themselves in order to agree with anything kayne said at tmz.

That is an assumption that seems to be prevalent in the Democratic party.  I remember J. Gruber during the Obamacare discussion expressing this thought pretty clearly.