In response to Kanye West’s controversial decision to wear a White Lives Matter shirt, the Black Lives Matter movement has issued a statement.
At his Yeezy Season 9 fashion show, which took place in Paris, the rapper presented an article on clothing for the first time.
However, it has since been met with opposition, with the Black Lives Matter organization sending a letter to TMZ in which they state that it “harms families fighting for justice.” TMZ has since published the letter.
In addition, the statement says: “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.
“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.
“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.”
Watch Kanye West assert that GAP stole his designs for Balenciaga below, and see how he does it.
The artist, who has since legally changed his name to Ye, sparked controversy with the shirt and its controversial statement, which the Anti-Defamation League considers to be a “hate slogan.” The artist legally changed his name to Ye.
On its website, the ADL offers the following explanation: “‘White Lives Matter’ is a white supremacist phrase that originated in early 2015 as a racist response to the Black Lives Matter movement, which arose to protest against police brutality against African-Americans.”
Jaden Smith is another person who has spoken out against West for his offensive shirt.
Despite being present at the event, the rapper known as “Icon” lashed out at the artist known as “Stronger” in a thread on Twitter. In the past, the “Icon” rapper has shown public support for the “Stronger” artist.
He began his speech by stating, ‘I Had To Dip Lol’ before immediately adding ‘True Leaders Lead’.
After that, Smith sent out a subsequent tweet in which he stated, ‘I Don’t Care Who’s It Is If I Don’t Feel The Message I’m Out’ and then continued to share ‘Black Lives Matter’.
Additionally, the actor who played Karate Kid posted: “I Can’t Stand Behind What Kanye’s Saying, He Does Not Have The Full Support Of The Youth.”
Nevertheless, that final tweet has been removed since it was posted.
In the past, Smith had been an outspoken supporter of West, even going so far as to refer to him as a genius and endorse him for the presidency.
Not only is he not the only musician who is dissatisfied with West’s most recent choice in fashion design, but rapper Boosie BadAzz has also criticized West on Twitter for his work as a musician and fashion designer.
He posted: “After all we been through as a race you put this disrespectful s*** on.
“You give no f**** about how Blacks have died and suffered to the hand of the white man.
“And you say [President] Bush don’t like Black people.”
West did, however, offer an explanation as to why the phrase “White Lives Matter” is printed on his new line of shirts.
He wrote the following in an Instagram story: “Everyone knows that Black Lives Matter was a scam.
“Now it’s over. You’re welcome.”
Candace Owens, who is known for her commentary on the political right, was also present in Paris for West’s show and later posted a photo of herself and West wearing the shirt.
Despite West’s explanation, the shirts have continued to be the target of criticism even after they were released.
Marc Lamont Hill, a professor at Temple University, posted the following on social media: “Kanye West decision to wear a “White Lives Matter” shirt is disgusting, dangerous, and irresponsible. Some of y’all will rush to defend him. You should ask yourselves why…”
Additionally, Jemele Hill, host of The Atlantic podcast, tweeted the following: “So many folks are trying to excuse Kanye wearing a white lives matter t-shirt as just a troll move or marketing. Maybe it is. But it’s a dangerously dumb message to send for someone with his massive platform. I been off dude. But y’all go ahead labelling his foolishness as genius.”
In the meantime, a piece that was written and published by Dazed claimed that the shirts were “incredibly harmful” and that West had “gone way too far.”
This is what the news item says: “However, with or without context, the “White Lives Matter” message is irrefutably harmful and Kanye’s inclusion of the statement is completely irresponsible.
“In emblazoning a t-shirt that he has designed “for everyone” with something that has been classified by the Anti-Defamation League as a hate slogan, Kanye has co-signed a harmful rhetoric.”
The same article in Dazed that praised the fashion show also criticized the event, saying that there was “chaos” all around the venue and that fans had to wait “almost two hours for anything to happen.” While there has been a lot of coverage surrounding the fashion show, the article criticized the event.
