So has Kanye West’s public love for Trump effectively killed his brand?

Happy Daddy Kanye West heads to work after baby number 3

Kanye West spent Thursday glued to his phone again. This time, he was posting text messages from John Legend and suggesting that Legend’s thoughtful messages of concern were an effort to “manipulate” his mind. Or something, I really can’t follow Kanye’s train of thought at this point, nor do I want to put in the effort. Once you see Kanye in a MAGA hat, you can’t really see him any other way. Which is the point of a new Hollywood Reporter piece called “Did Kanye West Just Kill His Brand?” There is no real consensus, but many branding-experts do believe that ‘Ye did do irreparable harm to his brand:

Fashion and branding experts say that West’s very public support of a divisive leader is a risky move for a designer with a young company, even one as popular as West.

“Kanye has lit the torch of war with the African-American community and liberal community and it’s going to be a hail of fire,” says Eric Schiffer, chairman of crisis management firm Reputation Management Consultants.

“People like him for being a bit crazy and erratic,” says Stacy Jones of entertainment branding firm Hollywood Branded. “His fans forgive him for being dehydrated, leaving a show for Kim or canceling a tour for his health. But… sharing his enthusiasm and love of our president, when much of his fan base does not at this point in time, that could indeed hurt his brand.”

In October, the #GrabYourWallet movement was created to encourage shoppers to boycott Ivanka Trump’s namesake label as well as retailers that carry Trump products or endorsed the president. The political pressure may have led Nordstrom to drop the first daughter’s brand, though the retailer says it was actually poor sales.

On Wednesday, Adidas, which backs Yeezy, had no statement about West’s tweets, and a representative for the athletic brand told THR it does not break down sales figures for specific parts of the business. No retailers have come forward to drop the Yeezy brand, either, which is different from the #GrabYourWallet movement in that it doesn’t benefit the Trump family, certainly.

[From THR]

I didn’t even think about #GrabYourWallet. But it’s true that the #GrabYourWallet movement was more about supporting any company that ended up financially supporting the Trump family. Except… that’s exactly what’s happening now. The Trump Campaign is trying to raise money off of Kanye’s tweets:

So… yeah. Don’t support ‘Ye anymore. Supporting ‘Ye is supporting Trump. Meanwhile, Kanye’s Twitter-addiction has gotten so bad that the only way Kim Kardashian can reach him is THROUGH TWITTER.

Kanye West was glued to his Twitter account on Wednesday, posting a grand total of 82 tweets touching on everything from fashion to politics — and making plenty of headlines along the way. In fact, the rapper was so focused on his social media that a source tells PEOPLE his wife Kim Kardashian West came to realize that the platform was the best way to get through to him.

“Kim is reaching out to him on social media because that’s literally the only way she can get him to listen,” says a source close to the artist. “He’s not paying attention to her right now.” (It appears that wasn’t the only way the couple communicated, however — in one tweet, West mentioned that his wife had called him and asked that he clarify his stance on President Donald Trump, and they both seem to be home in Los Angeles.) “It’s the same idea as a wife who stands in front of the TV when her husband is engrossed in a football game,” the source adds.

The source says West, 40, spent Wednesday on social media “looking up what everyone is saying about him. He’s reading every article, searching his name on Twitter, even when he’s not tagged. He’s pointed out tweets that the only way he found was searching his name.”

[From People]

Keep that in mind when you’re tweeting about Kanye. Kanye is watching. He’s reading your tweets. And he’s doing it all while wearing his signed MAGA hat.

Kanye West heads to the office after the birth of his third child in Calabasas, CA

Photos courtesy of Backgrid.

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130 Responses to “So has Kanye West’s public love for Trump effectively killed his brand?”

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  1. NameChange says:

    I hope so. Not one to wish ill on anyone, but if you don’t care about me or the issues that affect me, then I will not line your pockets with my money. Plain and simple.

    • Andrea1 says:

      Here is me hoping it kills his brand. Stop enabling Kanye West enough is enough

      • Hp says:

        I hope so too. I will say, i’m surprised by the lack of venom in the reaction to this. This is a man with a huge platform, and while he might have some issues, he can make up his own mind and means what he says. But this and other articles, while resigned, while distancing from him, lack the venom of an article written about Taylor Swift NOT saying she didn’t vote for Trump. Where is that level of outrage for someone who affirmatively does stand for Trump? Am I just missing it? I do know he is losing contacts, losing fans, and frankly he should. (Not because he is or supports a republican which is fine and valid but because Trump is a white supremacist, not a republican). It’s again just the venom I don’t see. I hope I am wrong, but if not, curious as to why there isn’t more anger, outrage, overall venom in coverage of him (again compare to coverage of Taylor Swift).

      • holly hobby says:

        I hope he takes down the Kartrashians with him. Sorry why are they a thing?

      • Yes says:

        Last time I checked his yeezy shoes were on Walmart.com for over 1k. Maybe his erratic trump stuff is intentional? House of Hypocricy collection??

      • Sunnyjyl says:

        I think this will just be another, “Oh, Kanye . . . ” No one expects him to be anything other than erratic, in an attempt to be controversial.

    • BlueSky says:

      Snoop Dogg has been dragging him HARD on IG.

    • peetee says:

      He lost his brand along time ago.

  2. Carol Hill says:

    I hope he read Kathleen’s article about him on Lainey Gossip yesterday. He is losing his hard core fan base, with reason!!!

    • NameChange says:

      Or is it calculated to “cross over”? Crossing over musically is the one thing that Kanye has not been able to do and we know he craves that mainstream attention. I think he’ll find though, that there aren’t enough white people to help him sell albums the way he used to. I, for one, am not going to buy or download his next album.

      • Kitten says:

        What do you mean by “crossing over”? I could be misunderstanding you but musically, Kanye has been extremely popular with people of all races and backgrounds. It’s not like he’s some fringe artist with a cult following–the guy is pretty big shit in the music community. He IS mainstream.

      • anna222 says:

        If Kanye wanted to cross over he could do it without Trump (eg Golddigger, Touch the sky, Stronger). This twitter storm just tells me his mental health is not being managed at the moment. (I won’t buy his music again until he apologizes for this sh-t though)

      • NameChange says:

        Being extremely popular and crossing over are two different things, though. Kanye’s music (with the n words peppered throughout and its harking back to his childhood in Chicago) was never meant to the popular music crowd. He was definitely for the hip hop and r&b crowd. He wasn’t Will Smith, for instance, who had a lot of success with pop-laced rap. But the past years have found him trying to cross over; marrying a Kardashian, his clothing line. Now this pandering to Trump and his base. I see it as an attempt to cross over to the mainstream. (Edited to add that I’m not making any excuses for him; just thinking out loud.)

      • Anon33 says:

        I still don’t get you. Kanye has been popular IN THE MAINSTREAM for over fifteen years. There aren’t many people who don’t know his name. He was famous before the Kardashians even existed as a reality brand. He was known in the mainstream when Kim was still working for Paris Hilton. How is him marrying her an attempt at a “crossover”?

      • Kitten says:

        I’m still confused, too, honestly. Kanye never needed Kim to make him popular in any way. If anything, marrying Kim HURT his brand.

      • Mimi says:

        NameChange, white college frat boys have been into Kanye for years, long before he decided to align with the Kardashians. They love rap music, the more explicit the better. The idea that him talking about hood life or sprinkling racial epithets throughout him music would be a repellent to them is so hilariously off the mark. Like Kitten stated, Kanye lost a ton of credibility by hooking up with Kim Kardashian of all people. He was a brand before she even knew what that was.

      • Shark Bait says:

        Kanye has been a well known A list celeb for a long time. Older white Trump supporters probably already knew who he was, if not for his music than for the telethon incident and the Taylor Swift/VMA thing. That all happened before Kim. Kanye West didn’t need to cross over. WTF is he going to sing country now? Is that what this is?

    • M4lificent says:

      Harking back to which childhood in Chicago? The one where his mother was an English professor and he went to high school in a suburb?

      • Mel M says:

        Hahaha right! White girls that live in the suburbs too. I was in my last year of college when The College Dropout hit and I couldn’t get enough. Same with Late registration.

  3. Rapunzel says:

    The Trump campaign cashing in on Ye’s tweets makes me even more suspicious that this might all have been coordinated by Ye and Trump…

    Is that too out there?

    • adastraperaspera says:

      I don’t think so.

    • Swack says:

      Not at all. Who knows with the two of them. But Kanye and Trump better watch their backs for a knife coming at it. Both of them are notorious for in a blink of an eye doing a 180 and will attack one another at some point in time.

    • Wren says:

      Nah. The Fat Orange One and his lackeys are opportunists and will latch onto anything that will get them eyeballs. See how they ran the last campaign. If it’s coordinated, it’s not some grand mastermind plan, it’s probably more of a loose association like “hey, let’s try and profit off this idiot”. What Kanye is getting out of the deal, if there is one, is…… unclear.

    • Silent Star says:

      I just don’t think either of them are capable of the strategic focus required to plan this. Can we all just admit they’re both so erratic that eventually their lunacy has some overlap. Even a stopped clock is right twice a day!

  4. Who ARE These People? says:

    I hope so.

    Wishing him peace.

  5. Babs says:

    I’m curious to see what the endgame of this farce could possibly be. I don’t believe the manic phase theory. Sure he hurt his brand but that’s partly why I like Kanye, he doesn’t care about brands. And I will be there for new music, as always.

    • NoShame says:

      He doesn’t care about brands????!!! LOL. Dude is ALL. ABOUT. BRANDS. He even married a brand!!

      I can only hope Kanye runs all of his various brands right into the ground. Once you throw the black community under a bus to bring attention to yourself, nothing less will do.

    • Gaby says:

      “He doesn’t care about brands.”???????

      He is obsessed with them, speacially his own, he literaly stated his brand is the new Apple.
      He lobbied Mark Zuckerberg for money to be used on his fashion line. He is an egomaniac.

      • Kitty says:

        Which is why this Kanye/trump thing is happening, two egomaniacs. They are meant for each other

    • Lana says:

      You sound as delusional as Kanye does.

      • Babs says:

        That’s better than sounding flat-out rude over nothing.

      • Shark Bait says:

        Die hard delusional stans are what keep these guys millionaires. Kanye doesn’t care about his fans. Kanye cares about Kanye.

    • Wren says:

      People wondered what Charlie Sheen’s endgame was with his tiger blood and goddesses and all that. And it turned out that he was a sick, drug addled, crazy person. That’s it. Everyone felt sorry for Denise Richards for having to deal with him because of their kids and we all moved on.

    • Shark Bait says:

      The article literally says he spent all day name searching himself. I truly believe that. He also called out a bunch of news outlets for stories about him. He is obsessed with Yeezys being seen as the best athletic shoe out there. He cares more about his brand than anything else. He knows that almost the entire hip hop community is against Trump and that being a contrarian gets him attention.
      This is why I don’t get stanning. Listen I loved The College Dropout, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, and The Life of Pablo too. But at the end of the day Kanye cares about the opinion of the rich and famous and himself. But go ahead and continue to line his pockets.

  6. heh says:

    NOPE. This is hyping up his interview w/ Charlemagne tha God where they will talk will more in depth on why he feels this way.
    Also, wait till the new Yeezys drop. LOL

    • Dee says:

      As if Charlemagne is anything but a loud mouth egomaniac. Started off as a comedian trashing everyone but now he’s apparently some political correctness patrol on a radio show. I cannot stand him and his faux outrage.

  7. indefatigable says:

    Not sure why Trump would be embracing Kanye. Wouldn’t that annoy his racist base?

    • NameChange says:

      His racist base likes black people who fall in line. It’s the pesky ones who call them on their racism that they don’t like.

    • Beth says:

      That was Trump trying to get black Americans to believe that he likes all black people. It’s like when he’d point out when there was one at a rally. “See! There’s my African American friend! “

    • lightpurple says:

      His racist base is having a field day with this. They claim the left is crying and panicking about losing Kanye because he will now lead all of his fans to Trump. I had somebody idiot even bring up Kanye and how upset I must be on some totally unrelated Twitter thread yesterday. She was stunned into silence when I told her in no uncertain terms that she could have the misogynist pig, that I had never wasted a cent of my music-buying, concert ticketing money on him, despite seeing at least a dozen concerts a year, and never would, and that nobody I knew was going to follow that misogynist pig anywhere.

    • tonetest says:

      The racist base likes poc who play along. It feeds into their superiority complex. “See, look one of them is admitting that we are on top. Look how he bows to his superior!”

      Most conservative poc get off on being told they are not like the others, so well spoken, so clean etc Its a sick relationship.

    • Val says:

      Its called tokenism.

      • JennyJazzhands says:

        And just like omorosa and stacey dash before him, kanye will learn that tokens get spent.

    • Wren says:

      Duuuuude, Kanye gets to fill the role of “black friend”. I’m not racist, I have black friends!! My policies aren’t racist, black people like me! This joke isn’t racist, my black friend laughed at it and/or told it to me!!!

      There’s nothing racists like better than a well behaved minority to be an accessory. Their presence lends legitimacy to the racist. People don’t like to think of themselves as racists, because racism is “bad”, and nobody likes to be “bad”. But they don’t want to change either, and if a member of the “less than” group is their friend or supports them in some way, it validates their way of thinking and they get to sidestep the “bad” part.

    • Shark Bait says:

      They are licking it up. They have this whole theory of black Americans being red pilled. Basically it’s when a black person takes the “red pill” (yes like the Matrix) and embraces the alt right fully. No not being Republican (even though that’s what they say) but like full on alt right. That’s why these people love Candace Owens, Diamond and Silk, Stacey Dash, Omarosa and Ben Carson.

  8. Tiffany27 says:

    Anyone who really has been following Kanye for a while should not at all be surprised at his love for Trump. Truth be told, people should have quit him a long time ago.

  9. Lana says:

    No, the racists love anyone who grovels at their feet. See also: those insane Diamond and Silk monstrosities.

    • Shark Bait says:

      My racist aunt LOVES them. She actually met them and has a framed picture with them. If you look at their facebook (probably just go ahead and don’t) their fans are almost all white ladies over 50 that are die hard Trump fans. I saw someone on Black Twitter call them Cubic Zirconia and Burlap and I cackled.

  10. Jenns says:

    For all the ranting and raving about Hollywood, look how fast Trump and Co. embraced Kayne West. All politicians are obsessed with celebrities and are desperate for their approval.

    With that being said, L-O-F**king-L at the idea that the MAGA turds are going to buy Kayne’s whatever Kayne is selling. Not going to happen.

  11. tonetest says:

    Kanye is allegedly in a lot of debt. Like a looooot of debt. They say Kim is the one paying his bills and keeping him afloat.

    One of the theories for how the Russians compromised Trump was through his debt (and the peepee tape but mainly debt). Food for thought…

  12. Betsy says:

    I was never a Kanye fan (I like various kinds of music, but I never got him), but this is just sad to watch.

    John Legend continues to impress as a human, however, so that’s nice.

  13. MsMac says:

    Musicians have always felt free to express their religious/ social/ political views, however inflammatory they may be. Burning the flag, ripping up pictures of The Pope, wearing a MAGA hat. It’s all for shock value. This is nothing new.

  14. WhatThe says:

    Yuck to Kanye and double yuck to Trump.

  15. Veronica S. says:

    I like Chance the Rapper, but if at this point you think this is merely a matter of political affiliation, you’re deluding yourself. Donald Trump is not a Republican. He’s a demagogue, and a very dangerous one because he’s supported by a base that will tolerate his incompetence to get their sociocultural prejudices validated.

    • Jayna says:

      It’s not about not being a Democrat. It’s about publicly embracing and having a love fest with a president like Trump, who is everything Kanye should be afraid of not only for this country and world, but people of color, instead of calling Trump his dragon brother, wearing MAGA hats, etc.

      Kanye makes me sick.

    • NameChange says:

      That was beyond idiotic for Chance the Rapper to say. Up until the election, Trump was a democrat, so that’s obviously not the issue. The issue is what the man stands for and what the republican party has been aligning itself with for years now (which is blatant racism and pandering to white supremacists).

    • Shark Bait says:

      Chance posted a follow up this morning explaining he was emotional and defending Kanye and his home city of Chicago. This was after Trump name dropped him in a tweet. Of course now the alt right is going after him and calling him a coward.
      A mom’s group I’m in was discussing this. We all live in Philly and more than half of the group is black women. A lot of them said their parents are Republican but they did not vote for or support Trump and this goes way past parties. Kanye also said he doesn’t know enough about Conservatism to call himself Conservative. That’s because Kanye doesn’t even care of focus on politics. He is a contrarian and knows Trump is one too. I’m just so done with this. He loves this attention.

    • Tiffany :) says:

      Chance the Rapper posted a very well thought out response today. He actually apologizes for his comments yesterday and goes on to make very good points. I highly recommend everyone read it!

    • Cranberry says:

      +1
      to everyone’s comments here.

  16. JennyJazzhands says:

    I was over him when he stitched a Confederate flag on his jacket. He gave some stupid excuse about using it. There are no excuses. I’m a black woman born and raised in Texas and the people who wear and raise those flags are very straightforward in their hatred. I can’t believe people are shocked about kanye. He’s been subtly telling us this is who he wants to be for a while.

    • Jordan says:

      I grew up in Georgia and I agree. They know what it means. The rednecks at high school would attach it to their trucks and drive it around town. Made me sick.

      • VirgiliaCoriolanus says:

        Shoot, at the healthcare march my small town in MICHIGAN participated in, we had cars deliberately circling back with confederate flags and face paint. My HS English teacher told me that when she first moved here about 15-20 years ago, she received a flier for a local KKK meeting.

  17. Rapunzel says:

    Trump praising Ye on Twitter now.

    @realDonaldTrump
    Kanye West has performed a great service to the Black Community – Big things are happening and eyes are being opened for the first time in Decades – Legacy Stuff! Thank you also to Chance and Dr. Darrell Scott, they really get it (lowest Black & Hispanic unemployment in history).
    6:11 AM – 27 Apr 2018

    • Nic919 says:

      And still no mention of the actual black hero who saved lives at the Waffle House shooting. Everything about Dump is despicable.

    • Neelyo says:

      Chance the Rapper can’t be too happy right now. I’m sure all he wanted to do was stick up for Kanye and he stepped in it big time. Now he’s got a shout out from Trump.

      • Kitten says:

        Hopefully he learned something? Trump doesn’t care about Chance or Kanye or any black people. Trump only cares about Trump.

      • minx says:

        Kitten, + 1000000. I’m really disappointed in Chance, he should have been smarter.

      • Tiffany :) says:

        It’s extra disappointing because Chance worked with Obama on My Brother’s Keeper, which is a part of the Obama Foundation. I am sure Chance was just trying to support his mentor Kanye, but what he said was really tone deaf in light of the actions of this administration. His focus on party sounded out of touch to me. Clearly, it isn’t Trump’s party that people object to.

        http://www.adweek.com/creativity/steph-curry-chance-the-rapper-and-obama-appear-in-psa-for-my-brothers-keeper/

      • Shark Bait says:

        Oh he’s trying to back track. He said he was defending a friend and his home town and that democrats have been in power in Chicago for a long time and nothing has changed.
        I’m not sure what anyone gets out of publicly defending Kanye at this point. After what he did to John Legend, I’d stay away from that. Just say I respect Kanye as an artist, visionary and musical genius and he is free to his own opinions, but don’t muddy yourself with the creeps Kanye is aligning with.

      • Tiffany :) says:

        Chance made a lengthy post today where he apologizes and goes on to make really good points. I forgive.

      • Kitten says:

        I thought Chance’s apology was solid. I also think that it doesn’t matter whether you or I forgive him. If I’m judging solely by the Twitter replies, the majority of the black community still seems pretty pissed. People who are greatly suffering under this administration may or may not decide to forgive him but I bet they sure as hell won’t forget. Keep in mind that Kanye and Chance’s comments come in the wake of the Waffle House shooting victims/James Shaw, Jr. and Trump remaining mum on both. I don’t think Chance had bad intentions, but man did he step in it by sticking his neck out for Kanye and unwittingly, for Trump.

    • gatorbait says:

      “eyes are being opened”….

      It’s almost as if he’s implying that all black people are in the sunken place and that Kanye and Co. are here to pull them out. All black people have to do is follow their lead and embrace trump. This is making me sick. We are going to reach a boiling point as a country soon and I, for one, am very worried.

      • Shark Bait says:

        That’s basically what the whole red pill stuff is about. I look at this alt right twitter accounts from time to time just so I can follow what they are on about. I usually end up reporting a bunch of their racist tweets while I’m there. QAnon is particularly crazy. But yeah, to them conservative black Americans are awake and educated and that liberal ones are in their version of the sunken place, or back on the plantation. I mean if Kanye said I love Trump it would be bad enough, but name dropping Candace Owens and bringing the whole “I don’t subscribe to groupthink” “I’m awakened” stuff is even worse.

  18. BitingPanda says:

    I don’t know. What kind of a special idiot do you have to be to spend hundreds of dollars on moth eaten t-shirts? His brand is utter trash and people bought it. So now those same people care about his crap political leanings?

  19. Sofija says:

    F–K HIM! And Kim also because they are both the same! They only see money and their brand and they could not care less about other people.. I will not buy his music and I don’t live in USA…I still don’t understand how Trump suporters don’t see that entire world is laughing at Trump…

  20. Jordan says:

    Now this subject is one I don’t like. People are quick to push it off as mental illness but is it really though? His history with a forced hospitalization, sure. VERY well could be. But he’s always been an ass, even before His marriage. I do believe his mother passing away did majorly mess up. But I think this is more he’s still bruised from Obama insulting him and his wife so he’s playing the spiteful child. It could very well be his mental illness which isn’t shameful in the slightest. We all need help along the way. As a person with a mental illness- are we sure it’s just not who he is and we want to deny it or is there really a break down going on again?

    • Babs says:

      I don’t think he is breaking down at all. He sounds like he always does. He acts like he did for more than a decade now. What’s new is that he really managed to shock his core fanbase this time. But Kanye been cancelled what, a million time? He will recover. You can’t lose what you never had.

      • Jordan says:

        You said it better than I did. I don’t think these tweets are anything new. If he feels this way then that’s how he feels then it isn’t mental illness. Some may view republicans as a mental illness in itself But that’s just not the case here.

    • Catherinethegoodenough says:

      Thank you. Whatever is going on with him right now is not his normal state. He needs help, not derision.

    • CairinaCat says:

      I’m bipolar and from watching him over the years I think he is too.
      And this foes look like uncontrolled mania.

      But that has nothing to do with him being a complete and utter asshole.
      He’s always sucked as a human.

      All the mania does is make him have more projects than normal and delusions of grandeur (more than his normal)

      What maina tends to do is amplify your regular personality.
      Regular people are in a medium sized box with personality and emotions
      Someone experiencing bipolar mania has moved up temporarily to a size extra large box.
      If your a dick normally, you’ll be a huge dick when your manic.

      I’m bipolar, my two kids are, 3 of my siblings are , my dad is, all his 5 siblings are, my Grandma was, and I have multiple friends that are. I also have a psychology degree and have worked in the mental health field.
      Pretty much across the board, it doesn’t seem to affect the original personality. It does seem to expand any quirks or less pleasant traits.
      But the people who are truly sweet, just become way extra sweet, quirky and can be weepy.
      Being manic doesn’t turn them into assholes.

      My opinion is Kanye is a asshole and manic is a HUGE asshole

      • LL says:

        I find this to be extremely insightful. Thanks for taking the time to explain that.

      • Jordan says:

        My little brother was bipolar. He self medicated with various drugs but weed mellowed him. My thought is that he is indeed bipolar. But I don’t think his mental illness is siding him with Trump, that’s just who he is. The illness is boosting his reactions and thoughts to a thousand times per minute. But it isn’t to blame for him seeing Trump’s side or any other person (since he said he liked them all). It’s just who he is. Gives me themes of way back when, when they had all sorts of mental illness reasons for why wives talked back or what have you.

      • Tootsie45 says:

        Thanks so much for this. I’ve worked with a bunch of bipolar patients and when I saw this I originally attributed it to a manic episode, but you make a really good point that I totally agree with but hadn’t considered. I’ve definitely seen people get “MORE,” and lose inhibition, but none of it is psychosis.

  21. grabbyhands says:

    I shouldn’t be surprised because he is egocentric jackass and always has been, but what I find really unforgivable is that he is willing to normalize the right’s hatred of POC in order to get attention and sell records. Like, even if this was an ill begotten publicity grab, it would still be sick because of his inability to recognize that his words and actions have real world consequences. He feels like the world owes him and he doesn’t care how that bill gets paid.

  22. Amelie says:

    I’m just glad we aren’t pretending this is entertainment anymore. A couple of years ago gossip websites (including this one) kept making excuses for him and I really didn’t get it. Any goodwill Kanye had towards him when Taylor Swift lied about approving the lyric in Famous is gone.

    And posting texts from concerned friends on social media for the whole world to see is a disgusting thing to do.

    • Swack says:

      I totally agree with your last comment. John Legend could have easily stated his opinions to Kanye on social media but didn’t. To me that shows genuine concern on John’s part. Drives me nuts when things that should be private are done publically. It’s why I watch what I say or write and who I say it to. Too many times my words have come back to bite me. I’ll bet John Legend is wishing he hadn’t reached out to Kanye.

    • Frosty says:

      I can’t agree – I’ve not ever noticed a bias *toward* Kanye here. Debate, hell yes!

      • Amelie says:

        This was a few years ago but the posts were written in a way (in my opinion I’m not speaking for everyone) as “he is an amusing eccentric.” I will say I have felt bad for him at various points–Taylor lying about approving the song lyric, his mother’s death, Kim’s robbery ordeal, his breakdown in 2016… but it doesn’t change the fact he is awful and narcissistic and has a problematic personality.

        I have at various points wondered if Kanye is doing this as a PR stunt but it’s really hard to fake breakdowns (like the one in 2016) and hospitalizations.

  23. HeyThere! says:

    I’m worried for him. I take mental health very seriously. I wish him the best and hope that everything is OKAY.

    • me says:

      His family isn’t worry so why should you be? Kim tweeted she thinks Kanye is just “ahead of his time”.

      • Lightpurple says:

        She wasn’t worried the last time either. It took the intervention of others while she was out of town to hospitalize him.

  24. my3cents says:

    It really looks like he’s in middle of another breakdown.

    • me says:

      You don’t find it odd he only seems to have these “breakdowns” right before releasing an album or new clothing line?

      • HeyThere! says:

        Actually not surprising at all….stress plays a massive factor I’m sure?

      • me says:

        A new born baby brings on stress doesn’t it? No tweeting during that time at all. I’m just super skeptical. Plus the biggest stress of a new album or clothing line is during the process of making it (which he remained off twitter and out of the public eye for without any issues). He’s done making the albums…now it’s time for promotion.

      • jwoolman says:

        Me- I don’t think a new baby, especially carried by surrogate, is a big stress for Kanye. He didn’t give birth, his muse didn’t give birth, he doesn’t do anything with a newborn but watch it sleep. His wife likewise (all the work is outsourced) so she is still able to focus on him and his needs, his life hasn’t really changed. Putting out an album or touring are completely different stress levels.

  25. me says:

    Kim does the same thing. She googles herself and searches her name on-line to see what people are saying. Those two were made for each other. Also, this still seems like one big pr stunt.

  26. Electric Tuba says:

    This is a man trapped in a glass case of all the emotions. He needs a strong therapist. He is behaving like a first year philosophy student rolling hard on e while trying tell everyone about what he’s just learned about Kant and the original National Lampoon magazine.
    Stop trying to make us witness your breakdown Kanye

  27. Catherinethegoodenough says:

    I’m surprised at the tone of these comments when it is so clear that Kanye is a very ill man. Whether this is the effect of substances, or a manic episode, or a brief stress reaction, or whatever, this is not normal behavior. Yes, he may be an egotistical jackass when he’s well. Yes, he needs to put down the phone. But the rest of need to stop finding greater meaning in his current words and actions and recognize them for what they are: a sign that his mental status is altered and he is in desperate need of real help.

    • Catherinethegoodenough says:

      I will add: if you want to boycott Kanye for supporting Trump, then by all means go ahead, but do it based on what he’s said or done when he’s healthy. Don’t punish a mentally ill individual for what he says or does during an episode.

      • CairinaCat says:

        Being mentally ill does not turn you into a raging asshole egomaniac who supports racist presidents.
        See my post up thread.

        I think Kanye is probably experiencing bipolar mania right now.
        But that isn’t what’s making him a asshole.

        I and all my family are bipolar and a lot of my friends are. Being bipolar doesn’t make you an asshole, being an asshole makes you one.

      • CatherinetheGoodEnough says:

        CairinaCat, I agree! Being bipolar certainly doesn’t make you an asshole and we all know assholes who aren’t bipolar! And one can be both at the same time. Kanye is (or seems to be, I don’t know him) kind of a jerk at baseline and I will not discount that.

        But the point is that this is a significant behavioral change for Kanye, and one that is uncharacteristically destructive for his business and his brand. This, along with the reported pattern of sleeplessness, grandiosity and paranoia, is why I think he is not now functioning in his normal state.

        I don’t know if he is bipolar, it certainly looks like a manic episode but could easily be any number of other conditions that mimic mania. Regardless … please let’s not condemn him for shit he says while he is ill. Condemn him for the shit he says when he’s well. There’s plenty of that to go around.

      • CatherinetheGoodEnough says:

        Kitten, you make a good point. Kanye is acting exactly like Trump, but the difference is that Trump has always acted like this. (Which is why I agree with you that while Trump is impaired, it is not in a clinically treatable way.) There’s no significant change in Trump’s behavior between the 1980s, when he came into public view, and now.

        But whatever is going on with Kanye is a significant change in his public behavior.
        While I detest Donald Trump and all that he stands for, to date he has not compared himself to a dragon nor has he accused anyone of trying to manipulate his mind.

        And, just to be clear, I think of substance addiction/dependence as an illness. So when I say he’s “ill”, I am not diagnosing him with anything specific. Maybe he’s just on a bender, I think we’d all be relieved to hear that. Barring that, I have no idea if his behavioral change is due to substance abuse, bipolar mania, brief psychotic illness brought on by stress, PTSD, or some other psychiatric or neurologic insult to his system. But you better believe it is something.

    • me says:

      What makes you think he’s mentally ill? Because he tweeted a bunch of stuff others don’t like? He’s not making threats to hurt anyone or himself. I’m just curious as to why you think he’s mentally ill? He’s a jerk for sure, but that doesn’t make him unstable. His own family is saying he’s fine. I don’t know. I guess none of us really know.

      • Beth says:

        @me, didn’t he have a nervous breakdown and have to stay in a mental hospital a couple of years ago? He’s always been an egotistical prick, but people saying that the way he’s been acting lately might be a sign of mental illness is based on his health history facts.
        You said his family isn’t worried about him and you seem to know about what Kim and him do on Google and know what causes his stress. Are you family or friend of his?

      • me says:

        Beth, this is just a celebrity gossip site. I don’t know them…just what is being reported and what Kim tweeted herself. She’s not worried so why should anyone else be? She said he’s not mentally ill and this is just his personality. He said he was hospitalized for Opioid addiction and not a mental breakdown. Is this true? Only they know. None of us know for sure. We are all just speculating aren’t we?

        Oh and I know Kim googles herself because she said so herself. She’s not ashamed to admit it lol.

      • CatherinetheGoodEnough says:

        It’s pattern recognition for me. Kanye certainly seems to be kind of an ass at baseline, possible mental illness aside. But he’s smart. He’s impulsive sometimes, but in fact he’s been quite savvy about his career promotion to date.

        But look at the events of recent days. He’s fired everyone who is close to him because he suddenly feels he no longer needs a staff, or professional management, or legal advice. Because he thinks he can do it all himself by creating a personal fiefdom. He’s reportedly not sleeping and appears to be spending all day on Twitter (when in his normal life he’d presumably have many other things to attend to.) He is comparing himself to a dragon. He accused John Legend of trying to manipulate his thoughts. All the Trump nonsense aside, these are fundamental characteristics of a psychiatric breakdown.

        I don’t know what to say to anyone who thinks this is some sort of promotional stunt. Kanye can do promotion with the best of them. This is not that.

        Like I said, I don’t know him, and I won’t diagnose from afar. But it’s fair to say that there are many possible causes of this type of behavior, drugs or mania being the most likely but not exclusive. I like some of his music, I’m not a huge fan, I’m wary of anyone who supports Trump regardless of mental status … but at this moment it’s clear to me that Kanye needs help and not derision.

      • Kitten says:

        He said he was admitted in 2016 for opioid abuse NOT for a mental breakdown. Whether he and Kim are both lying to cover for mental illness or not, I choose to believe him. Addiction is as stigmatized if not more so than mental illness so I see no reason why he would choose to come out as an addict over admitting that he needs psychological help or perhaps medication.

        Only Kanye’s doctor should be diagnosing him.

        “But look at the events of recent days. He’s fired everyone who is close to him because he suddenly feels he no longer needs a staff, or professional management, or legal advice. Because he thinks he can do it all himself by creating a personal fiefdom. He’s reportedly not sleeping and appears to be spending all day on Twitter”

        You could easily be describing Trump here and no, I don’t buy that Trump is mentally ill, either.

      • jwoolman says:

        Kitten – opioid abuse is normalized today. It’s an external factor and often starts with a legit prescription. Mental illness is still considered an internal factor and the stigma around it is still huge, maybe just not for people you hang around. I’ve seen that in my own family dealing with someone who is bipolar.

        I can definitely see someone like Kanye or Kim being much more comfortable claiming opioid addiction as the cause for hospitalization instead of a manic episode due to a mental disorder. Kim especially seems to have rather odd ideas about mental illness and thinks people can just pull themselves together by themselves with clinical depression, for example. Look at how she has dealt with her brother.

  28. Sandy says:

    Kanya is doing all Of this because, the Obamas didn’t want anything to do with him, can you blame them? who do he think he Is? The same way he tried to bully jay-z and Beyonce into hanging around his family .

  29. Tessa says:

    This is a relapse marker for him. He is ill again. I don’t like him but clearly he needs someone to take away Twitter and get him to hospital. Where is his boyfriend ? KK obviously only cares about her brand at this point. Where is he?

  30. Nibbi says:

    what’s weird to me is how different this is from that HUGE moment (which increased his profile exponentially & made him look like a hardass, daring truth-teller) in 2001 when he went off-script during the 9/11 telethon fundraiser, saying “President Bush doesn’t care about black people” – – ermm… does he think Trump cares about black people ?!!!

    • NYCgal says:

      That was after Katrina…But point noted. I think he’s thirsty for attention and massively insecure. He’s quite pathetic. Talented for sure as a musician but awful fashion sense.

  31. msanne says:

    i love when people are being trolled and they dont know they are being trolled.

  32. Tess says:

    Honestly in the current climate, it’s a fine line between this sort of extremism and mental illness. Is radicalism a mental illness? Is he just being a right wing ahole? What ever it is, he’s not right and he’s not well, and none of the talking heads supporting this and spewing that same nonsense are either.