Kanye raps into ‘slave’ storm

London – Rapper Kanye West’s remarks about slavery being a choice were criticised yesterday by campaigners as disrespectful to victims and damaging to global efforts to eradicate the crime.

The US award-winning musician’s comments on the transatlantic slave trade came in a video interview on Tuesday at the California offices of celebrity website TMZ.com.

During the interview, shared widely on social media, West says: “When you hear about slavery for 400 years. For 400 years? That sounds like a choice.”

Amid outrage, he later said on Twitter: “Of course I know that slaves did not get shackled and put on a boat by free will.

“My point is for us to have stayed in that position, even though the numbers were on our side, means that we were mentally enslaved.”

Yet his initial remarks belittle the nature of modern slavery, said Justine Currell, executive director of British charity Unseen.

“Suggesting anyone chooses a life of abuse and exploitation is incredibly disrespectful to those who have experienced slavery and those who are still being treated in this way,” Currell said.

As many as 28 million Africans are believed to have been shipped across the Atlantic and enslaved in the Americas between the 15th and 19th centuries. – Reuters