‘Kanye is not alone’: Black academic claims rapper’s views ARE supported in African American communities across America after he publicly condemned BLM and said ‘everyone knows it was a scam’
- Kanye West’s controversial comments have insulted activists across the world
- Professor Tatishe M. Nteta pointed out that however divergent Kanye’s comments are towards traditional beliefs held by black people in the US, he still is not the only person peddling the same mantras
- The political science academic at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, said he’s ‘very skeptical’ that the BLM movement will ever reach the highs that it did in 2020
- Black Lives Matter claimed that the rapper’s ‘stunt’ on the runway sent out a ‘performative dog whistle’ to millions of people across the world
Kanye West is ‘not alone’ in his skepticism at the Black Lives Matter movement, a leading black professor has said.
The rapper’s views are reflected by African American communities across the country despite the ‘harm’ his actions may cause, political scientist Tatishe M. Nteta warned.
While the 45-year-old singer is not upholding the beliefs traditionally held by black people across the US, there will be people within communities who agree with him, he added.
It comes after West was criticized for unveiling a ‘White Lives Matter’ t-shirt at his Paris fashion show yesterday.
Father-of-four Kanye posed for a photo wearing the controversial clothing with right-wing personality Candace Owens.
The Black Lives Matter organization seized on the chance to bash the rapper, claiming he was airing a ‘performative dog whistle’.
The rapper and designer slammed the global cause on Instagram after wearing a provocative ‘White Lives Matter’ sweater at his surprise Yeezy fashion show in Paris on Monday
Professor Tatishe M. Nteta said that the ‘white supremacist mantra’ on Kanye’s shirts at the fashion show has further alienated him from the majority of African Americans and what they believe
Nteta said he is ‘very skeptical’ BLM will ever reach the highs it did in 2020 – but Kanye’s controversial shirt and comments has thrown the idea back into the forefront of public opinion.
A poll by the University of Massachusetts Amherst found support for the movement’s goals had decreased from 48 percent to 31 percent in May, and there has been a steady decline for the last two years – including among black people in the US.
Professor Nteta, who led the polling earlier this year, told DailyMail.com: ‘Kanye West in some ways is voicing a sentiment that some aspects and portions of the American public believes and supports.
‘But at the same time, Kanye West, over the course of the last few years has expressed very conservative views. In some ways, it’s not surprising.’
He said that lack of hierarchy and a slew of high profile scandals regarding BLM’s leaders and funding has contributed to the decline in support for the movement.
But in Mr Nteta’s view, this is now the third time West has shown that he’s no longer the same ‘progressive’ artist the public knew at the beginning of his musical career.
Eyes first turned when West, who recently divorced Kim Kardashian, met and embraced former president Donald Trump, and again when he made the controversial comment that ‘slavery was a choice.’
And now, the ‘white supremacist mantra’ on Kanye’s shirts at the fashion show has further alienated him from the majority of African Americans and what they believe, the academic said.
However, there are people within the black community who understand and may agree with what Kanye has expressed.
Provocation: Kanye West sparked outrage on Tuesday after dismissing Black Lives Matter, the social movement created to protest social and racial injustices aimed at his own community
He added: ‘It’s a clear contradiction and very unpopular view among the African American community. This tells me that Kanye has been embracing conservative ideals.
‘Kanye has been given a number of opportunities by the African American community to walk back or express some level of repudiation of his comments.
‘But again, this is now the third major event in which Kanye expressed a position which again is diametrically opposed to the majority of African Americans in this country, and the majority of progressives in this county.
‘We should no longer be surprised. He is a conservative human being. He is not alone, among the nation, and not alone among African Americans.
‘The expectation that he is going to return to the old Kanye is one that is not likely to occur.’
While some might see Kanye’s ‘Black Lives Matter was a scam’ post as a criticism of the organization rather than the beliefs behind it, Mr Nteta said that him peddling the mantra ‘White Lives Matter’ isn’t the way to do that.
The professor added: ‘You could read it in that sense, this isn’t a repudiation, but this is a ‘we need to start having a conversation about the movement.’
‘I don’t know if supporting a slogan that is in diametric opposition to the goal of the BLM movement which is the protection of black lives is the best way to do that.’
Kanye West attends the Balenciaga Spring 2023 Fashion Show at the New York Stock Exchange on May 22, 2022
West has riled up BLM supports following his controversial show in Paris
Since the YZY Season 9 show in Paris on Monday, West posted and deleted a number of messages to his Instagram, including one that read in all capital letters, ‘EVERYONE KNOWS THAT BLACK LIVES MATTER WAS A SCAM NOW ITS OVER YOU’RE WELCOME.’
Meanwhile, the official Black Lives Matter organization slammed West for trying to kill the movement – and accused his words of harming ‘thousands of families fighting for justice.’
A Black Lives Matter spokesman said: ‘The stunt was a clear affront to Black Lives Matter, which has been measured as the largest racial justice movement in history.
‘Black models walked the runway wearing the same slogan. ‘All Lives Matter’ and ‘White Lives Matter’ have long served as violent retorts to the Black Lives Matter movement, used by white supremacists and hate groups, including the Ku Klux Klan.
‘In a follow-up statement, Kanye was clear that he intended to kill the Black Lives Matter movement.
‘Black Lives Matter Grassroots sees this as a teachable moment. Political education is core to what we do.
‘While some may see Kanye and Candace’s stunt as a distraction, we recognize that it harms thousands of families fighting for justice for their loved ones killed by states sanctioned violence.
‘It can spread toxic confusion and be used to legitimize violent assaults on Black people.
‘Battling misinformation while continuing to do the hard that liberation requires is nothing new for us.
‘Kanye West and Candace Owens sent a performative dog whistle to millions. Kanye knows very well that ‘white lives’ have never been targeted for oppression.
‘Black folks, in contrast, are at the bottom of virtually every economic, social, and political measure because of centuries of individual and institutional racism.
Professor Tatishe M. Nteta said that ‘we should no longer be surprised’ at Kanye West’s comments about black lives, since he is clearly not the same ‘progressive’ artist he was at the beginning of his career. This follows the backdrop that support for the BLM movement has slowly declined over the last year
‘Building a world of Black freedom means upending systems that harm and building new systems of care. Ultimately this benefits everyone. When Black people get free, everybody gets free.’
Multiple celebrities and politicians have also come out against West, after his Paris runway and Instagram post.
Vogue fashion editor Gabriella Karefa-Johnson posted to her Instagram a screed about the ‘White Lives Matter’ t-shirts modeled on West’s runway that included calling the collection ‘deeply offensive, violent, and dangerous.’
‘I’m fuming … collecting my thoughts,’ she wrote before labeling West’s actions ‘indefensible behavior.’
She later wrote that she was among those who ‘suffered in that room’ and was working through the ‘trauma’ of the experience.
But West then ridiculed her in a series of posts on Instagram – questioning her own fashion sense.
Supermodel Gigi Hadid was quick to defend Karefa-Johnson against West’s online attacks, writing, ‘You wish u had a percentage of her intellect [sic].’
‘You have no idea haha…. If there’s actually a point to any of your sh*t she might be the only person that could save u. As if the ‘honor’ of being invited to your show should keep someone from giving their opinion ..? Lol. You’re a bully and a joke,’ she added.
In the hip-hop community, outspoken rapper Boosie Badazz, who famously bragged about paying prostitutes to perform oral sex on his son, then 12, and nephew, then, 13, called out West.
Boosie said: ‘After all we been through as a race you put this disrespectful s**t on? U give no f**ks about how blacks have died n suffered to the hands of the white man n u say Bush don’t like black people… really n****a.’
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