Kanye West Would've Voted for Trump; Admired 'Futuristic' Style of Campaign

Says the country and world are racist so people need to stop focusing on it.

Splash News/Newscom

Anyone who thinks the 2016 presidential election is about as weird as it's going to get in their lifetimes is in for a rude awakening. Donald Trump's primary and general election victories demonstrated there was a viable path for celebrities of all stripes to make a legitimate run for the presidency.

Kanye West may have been the first celebrity to understand this, announcing at the MTV Video Music Awards in August 2015 that he would make a run for president in 2020. His announcement came the same month he and wife Kim Kardashian endorsed Hillary Clinton. This week, Kanye West revealed that he didn't vote in last week's elections, but that if he had, he would've voted for Trump.

In a 20+ minute political rant during a concert in San Jose, California, he explained that he admired Trump's campaign tactics. "There's methods, non-political methods to speaking, that I like, that I feel were very futuristic," West explained. "That style and that method of communication has proven that it can be a politically correct way of communication. And I fuck with that."

When West told the crowd he would have voted for Trump had he voted, he was booed in response.

"That don't mean that I don't think that black lives matter," West said. "That don't mean that I don't believe in women's rights. That don't mean that I don't mean in gay marriage. That don't mean that I don't believe in these things because that's the guy that I wanted to vote for."

West stressed that no presidential candidate was going to "instantly be able to change" racism. "Stop focusing on racism," he told the crowd. "This world is racist, okay? Let's stop being distracted to focus on that as much. It's just a fucking fact. We are in a racist country. Period."

West is right. As I've noted repeatedly, discussions around racism are the most prominent distractions that thwart police reform. A focus and debate about whether cops are racist, which ones, and how much, distracts from the work necessary to reform police unions and police departments so that violent and otherwise incompetent cops can face real accountability measures and even be removed from the department. How racist these cops are shouldn't be relevant—if they are incompetent, prone to abuse or panic, they should not be police officers.

Trump, for his part, responded to West's announcement last summer by noting he believed West was a fan of his. "I'll never say bad about him, because he loves Trump," Trump said at the time. "He goes around saying Trump is my all-time hero. He says it to everybody. So Kanye West, I love him." Trump appeared to approve of the idea of West running.

Trump noted that could change if West actually does run for president. "Now, maybe in a few years I'll have to run against him, I don't know, so I'll take that back," Trump added. "He's a nice guy. I hope to run against him one day," he said. It wasn't wise to laugh, or to take either's chances less than seriously.

Comments

[Brochettaward]

Who gives a fuck which awful candidate the deluded megalomaniac Kanye West voted for?

[timbo]

Pretty sure Kanyay is tony.

[Citizen X]

Yeezy is far more intelligent, insightful, and self-aware than Tony could ever dream of being.

[Chipper Morning Wood]

Kanye West in the West Wing? First Hobbit-American First Lady? National ban on fish sticks? Pass the ballot petition, please.

[timbo]

1 vote here.

[Half-Virtue, Half-Vice]

You laugh but it's true. Who are you going to rather have John Stewart or Kanye West? You'll be getting one come 2020 because as discussed the left has nobody in the bullpen; but they are hella stacked on celebs. Worked for Trump.

[Juice]

deluded megalomaniac

It's called narcissistic personality disorder.

[Rufus The Monocled]

Seriously. I'm not one to bitch about the content Reason chooses to run with but seriously. Kanye West gets a whole page?

Wtf?

Why waste energy on this celebrity putz?

[$park? is totally a Swifty]

In a 20+ minute political rant during a concert in San Jose, California,

Curious how many attendees asked for their money back.

[chemjeff]

Donald Trump vs. Kanye West 2020!

EPIC SMACKDOWN!

[Heroic Mulatto]

In a 20+ minute political rant during a concert in San Jose, California,

Christ, what an asshole!

[SIV]

Not as bad as paying to see Henry Rollins or Jello Biafra under the mistaken belief they would have a backing band

[Groovus Maximus]

LOL! Thanks, SIV. I needed that laugh today.-)

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

Wait'll you hear what SIV has to say about Gary Johnson!

[Groovus Maximus]

WHO!?

[Chipper Morning Wood]

Did you guys see that article in the Independent about the rising number of cuckolds?

[Stickler in the Comments(PanZ)]

That guy Bill Weld power bottoms for.

[Somalian Road Corporation]

Just before the 2004 elections I went to see Rollins at a spoken word event, so that's what I was expecting. What I wasn't expecting was him to go on and on with the basic theme of "even if you have no clue what the fuck is going on, GO OUT AND VOTE." He didn't endorse any specific candidate or philosophy but making that kind of suggestion obviously helps out some more than others.

Also, sigh, poor Jello Biafra. The man self-aware enough to write the amazing "Holiday in Cambodia" caught terminal Bush Derangement Syndrome.

[Zeb]

Rollins's spoken word performances can be really funny. If he'd stay away from politics, he'd make a decent standup comedian.

He's got a great bit on one of his albums about trying to slam his dick in a toilet seat.

[B.P.]

I'm never in the business of begging others to vote; that would diminish the value of my own vote.

I saw Biafra (also in attendance with me: our own Jesse Walker!) do spoken word one time. So many interesting premises, so many shitty conclusions/solutions.

Rollins ruined Black Flag.

[Chipper Morning Wood]

I was never much of a Rollins fan. He doesn't seem to have much talent in anything. But I guess he resonates with some people.

[BakedPenguin]

I saw the DKs in 2003. I was really happy to hear that Jello wasn't in the band anymore so I knew I wouldn't have to listen to 30-60 minutes of political bullshit.

[Brochettaward]

I've read that his rant was actually about a hour, perhaps longer. And that he stopped in the middle of songs to start talking politics. People threw shoes at him.

[B.P.]

Any time Kanye West takes time out to not rap, for whatever reason, is okay by me.

[commodious is retromingent]

New Balance?

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

I wanna borrow that top.

[B.P.]

She loaned it to Chuck Schumer.

[Groovus Maximus]

Paul was talking about Yee-zay, B.P. Paul is a confirmed fuccboi. It's quite tragic. Weep for him.

[You ARE a Prog (MJG)]

*narrows gaze*
*throws up in mouth*

[DEATFBIRSECIA]

46? Yeah I'm thinking more like 48DD.

[timbo]

That stupid whore is easy on the eyes though.

[timbo]

Is that a rogue nipple out to the side?

[Chipper Morning Wood]

Her nippled sort of roam around the area. They are free range.

[timbo]

They could roam around to her ass for a few weeks.
That thing is like BLM land. You just round up your stuff from there at the end of the season.

[Groovus Maximus]

Indeed. Too bad she's never had nipples. Those things are something else. Something....unnatural.

[$park? is totally a Swifty]

Gives new meaning to nip slip.

[The Laissez-Ferret]

+ Jack Elam

[The Fusionist]

"In a 20+ minute political rant during a concert"

I'd say "shut up and sing," but be careful what you wish for.

[The Fusionist]

I may have misheard the lyrics, but I understand that Mr. West is for currency reform, specifically having to do with the gold standard? He even wants to mine for gold.

[Eternal Blue Sky]

To top off the pure madness of this election:

Kanye West is offering a voice of reason.

Satire Dimension Theory CONFIRMED.

[OBJ FRANKELSON]

I was thinking along these lines, a Cubs World Series win, a Trump administration, South Park funny again, Kanye West saying something political that isn't complete gibberish... insanity. So which font should I use for my "REPENT THE END IS NEAR" sandwich board? Ariel Bold or Helvetica?

[Citizen X]

Comic Sans, because why the fuck not.

[This Machine]

What's that? Are you sayin' somethin'? Uh-uh, can't tell me nothin'.

[Fruit Sushi 2 Go]

.....nice *golf clap*

[Jake Stone]

That don't mean he knows how to speak English either.

[TheZeitgeist]

He's been full of Thoughtcrime ever since the concussion.

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

Does this mean that journalists will stop watching his twitter feed, because now he can't be taken seriously?

[GILMORE?]

Donald Trump's primary and general election victories demonstrated there was a viable path for celebrities of all stripes to make a legitimate run for the presidency.

Kanye West may have been the first celebrity to understand this, announcing at the MTV Video Music Awards in August 2015* that he would make a run for president in 2020.

I'm sort of missing how kanye grasped the significance of Trump's victories before they happened.

I can only assume it has something to do with Kanye's transcendence of space and time.

[commodious is retromingent]

Something tells me Kanye would be the first Democrat in generations to lose the black vote. Not to say he doesn't have fans, but I have trouble imagining a majority of blacks would pull the lever for the douche.

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

Kim Kardashian as first lady? Yes please.

[Half-Virtue, Half-Vice]

+1 Neo-Cleopatra

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

Neopatra!

[Groovus Maximus]

You need help, Paul. Serious help.

[AlmightyJB]

If he is the only black person running, he will get over 95% of the black vote.

[0x90]

But... but... the first First Transgender Step-Father-in-Law!

(did I get that right?)

[timbo]

No you did not.

of course now you will have to resign from your job and go ahead and hand over the keys to your house.

[GILMORE?]

"I'll never say bad about him, because he loves Trump," Trump said at the time

Its got electrolytes and shit.

[Citizen X]

It's what plants crave?

[timbo]

You mean like out the toilet?

[AlmightyJB]

No, from Brawndo.

[AlmightyJB]

The Thirst Mutilator

https://youtu.be/Tbxq0IDqD04

[timbo]

fun bags?
watering the crops?

[AlmightyJB]

OT: Parent not notified of transgender services for son. Maybe she should send the state a bill for the cost of raising him.

http://www.foxnews.com/health/.....ments.html

[Uncle Jay]

RE: Hate Crimes, Hoaxes, and Hyperbole: A Reality Check for All Sides
Two weeks in "Trump's America" have brought a lot of ugliness, but not nearly as much as social-media mobs think.

How dare Kayne West make statements that are not politically correct!
Such opinions not only run contrary to the acceptable speech set forth by our obvious socialist ruling class, they run contrary to the mob. Such deviance from Uncle Sam's plantation will result in him being booed at concerts, nobody wanting his autograph, and no desert at supper time.
Damn that free speech.
Damn that free speech to hell!

[Juice]

"We are in a racist country. Period."

West is right.

No, he's not. Of course there are plenty of racist people in this country, but it's not such a large percentage that you can call this a "racist country." It's one of the least racist countries on the planet, if not the least.

[GILMORE?]

I think Ed was trying to have-his-cake-and-eat-it-too there.... pretending to agree w. Kanye's whole point, when he was really just agreeing with *half of it*... the part where Kanye says '"Lets stop being distracted to focus on that as much""

Or maybe he's 100% on board, i don't know. I'd think after that "crying wolf" piece from scott the other day, that people would dial that sort of blanket-statement-bullshit down a tad.

[You ARE a Prog (MJG)]

Of course there are plenty of racist people in this country

Ugh, give me a break, Juice. This country is not that bad. Americans may be some of the least racist people on the planet.

[Zeb]

What you say is true. But I think it's also fair to say that there are plenty of racist people in the US. Not many hard-core racial supremacists these days, but plenty of casual racism and bias to go around.

[You ARE a Prog (MJG)]

(I was only trying to selectively quote Juice so as to misinterpret his argument, the way he did to Ed)

[GILMORE?]

Juice isnt the one being dishonest here

"This world is racist, okay? Lets stop being distracted to focus on that as much. It's just a fucking fact. We are in a racist country. Period."

West is right. As I've noted repeatedly, discussions around racism are the most prominent distractions that thwart police reform.

Ed is quoting a statement which is primarily about 'declaring things racist', and secondarily about saying, "racism shouldn't be the focus".

If ed flatly asserts, "that's right" - but then refers only to the second part, he's purposely leaving vague whether or not he agrees with the first. Unless he says otherwise, you're forced to assume he agrees with the whole statement.

Its the same point i made directly above.

If he didn't mean to suggest he agreed with the core point, why quote it in the first place? and if he actually intended to agree only with the latter part.... why not say 'he's half right'?

Its a rhetorical move which is at best 'sloppy', and at worst disingenuous. It may not be intentional - but you can't blame readers for failing to intuit things.

[You ARE a Prog (MJG)]

"Stop focusing on racism," he told the crowd. "This world is racist, okay? Lets stop being distracted to focus on that as much. It's just a fucking fact. We are in a racist country. Period."

West is right. As I've noted repeatedly, discussions around racism are the most prominent distractions that thwart police reform. A focus and debate about whether cops are racist, which ones, and how much, distracts from the work necessary to reform police unions and police departments so that violent and otherwise incompetent cops can face real accountability measures and even be removed from the department. How racist these cops are shouldn't be relevant?if they are incompetent, prone to abuse or panic, they should not be police officers.

Yawn.

[GILMORE?]

is that your idea of a riposte?

[The Late P Brooks]

reason: People Magazine, for cosmotarians.

[Groovus Maximus]

Wait until you undergo Cosmosis, Brooksie. You'll have more than titanium collaring you.

And excellent lab specimen of a Krugabe in the wild down below; I haven't seen one of those in a great while.

[Half-Virtue, Half-Vice]

Tbf one should pay some modicum of attention to celebrity news, these people have power with the desire to wield.

[The Late P Brooks]

Nobel Laureate Krugabe, in the venerable "legitimate news" New York Times, writes:

So why try to destroy this successful program, which is in important respects doing better than ever? The main answer, from the point of view of people like Mr. Ryan, is probably that Medicare is in the cross hairs precisely because of its success: It would be very helpful for opponents of government to do away with a program that clearly demonstrates the power of government to improve people's lives.

And there's an additional benefit to the right from Medicare privatization: It would create a lot of opportunities for private profits, earned by diverting dollars that could have been used to provide health care.

Not merely repudiation, but demonization of capitalism, free markets, profits, and choice.

But we get this imbecilic drivel from the "celebrity famous for being famous says..." desk.

[0x90]

Commas...

It would be very helpful for opponents of government to do away with a program that clearly demonstrates the power of government, to improve people's lives.

[BYODB]

I guess he's unaware that Medicare is partially to blame for price inflation while also being unaware that Medicare isn't on a great spending trajectory long term.

I wonder why he doesn't use the VA as an example of what it would end up looking like after you remove private options from the equation?

[The Late P Brooks]

I try to avoid the "WHY REEZIN WON'T?" complaining, but fucking hell. Leave this crap to somebody else.

Or is this just phase one of the Kanye West Libertarian Party Presidential campaign?

Maybe Sean Penn will agree to be his VP.

[Zeb]

Try harder.

[LurkinInaBuildin]

"'That don't mean that I don't think that black lives matter,' West said. 'That don't mean that I don't believe in [institutionalized human abortion]. That don't mean that I don't mean in gay marriage. That don't mean that I don't believe in these things...'"

It's like an Apostle's Creed of sleaziness and death.

[Jonah Buckley]

Kanye likes Trump? I'm shocked! Birds of a feather . . .

[John C. Randolph]

Huh... I wonder if this will make the Hollywood machine quit pretending that West is an "artist".

-jcr

[ammythomas833]

until I looked at the paycheck saying $4730 , I did not believe that...my... brother woz like actualy bringing in money part time from there computar. . there friend brother started doing this for less than 7 months and resently paid for the morgage on there home and bought a new Cadillac .......

>>>>>>>>>http://www.centerpay70.com

[JohnKing]

I guess Kanye has a liking for Big Asses!

[Pro Libertate]

No probably about it.

[Half-Virtue, Half-Vice]

I was shocked legitimately when I read some articles in Italian for school. Those people hate gypsies, I tell ya what. And it's all the same bull. They take the jobs from lower class Italians, they're criminals, and rapists -- classic xeno, racist beliefs; but there was no filter like you'd see in a lot American publication (bad as we can be) shit I was reading was giving them the double barrel, also laden with curses.

[Juice]

Exactly.

[RBS]

You should listen to some greeks talk about turks.

[Zeb]

Europeans are shockingly racist compared to your typical American.