Kanye West tells Tucker Carlson that his Trump support risked his life
Kanye West, who has been embroiled in controversy this week after wearing a “White Lives Matter” T-shirt at Paris Fashion Week, apparently isn't backing down anytime soon.
On Thursday, the rapper — whose legal name is Ye — found a kindred spirit on the conservative Fox News network. He appeared on “Tucker Carlson Tonight” for a sit-down conversation filmed in West's office in Los Angeles; the interview's second part will air Friday.
West and Carlson touched on everything from the consequences of West supporting former President Donald Trump to abortion (“I'm prolife”) to his ex-wife, Kim Kardashian. West even managed to mention musician Lizzo and Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk.
Sporting a beard, a black hoodie, a cap emblazoned with “2023” and a lanyard with an ultrasound of a fetus, West told Carlson that he found the divisive “White Lives Matter” shirt entertaining.
“I thought the shirt was a funny shirt,” he said. “I thought that the idea of me wearing it was funny.”
He said he discussed the controversial apparel with his dad, who he said was a former member of the Black Panther Party. West said his father noted that it was just a “Black man stating the obvious.” He then reiterated that “the answer to why I wrote `White Lives Matter' on a shirt is because they do. It's the obvious thing,” echoing a sentiment he posted Wednesday on Instagram.
His Paris Fashion Week outfit wasn't the first time West has taken heat for his clothing. During the 2016 election, the rapper was regularly seen wearing the red “Make America Great Again” hat associated with Trump. Early in Thursday's interview, West told Carlson that the accessory made him a target.
“My so-called friendsslash-handlers around me told me if I said that I liked Trump that my career would be over, that my life would be over,” he said. “They said stuff like, `People get killed for wearing a hat like that.' They threatened my life. They basically said that I would be killed for wearing the hat.”