Tons of celebs and fashion-forward industry insiders are in France for Paris Fashion Week. The event started on Sept. 26 and ends today (Oct. 4), featuring designers showcasing their bold new looks. While at a surprise Yeezy show, Kanye West debuted a shirt that read “White Lives Matter” in an extremely large font.
While Ye has always been one to go against the grain and speak his mind, his latest statement has many speaking out. Fellow rapper and Baton Rouge native Boosie tweeted, “[DAMN] @kanyewest [YOU] JUST GOING TO KEEP USING YOUR PLATFORM TO S**T ON YOUR OWN RACE LIKE THIS? THIS [IS] SAD! [AND] the Black people who still support you [are] even sadder! LAST TIME SPEAKING ON THIS [clown]. #KanyeWestDoesntLikeBlackPeople DO US A FAVOR [AND] BLEACH YOUR SKIN ALL WHITE! Thanks.”
He followed up his tweet with a photoshopped picture of West with bleached skin. Boosie wasn’t alone in his disapproval of Yeezy’s message. Jaden Smith also shared his views on Twitter, writing, “Black Lives Matter.” He added that he doesn’t care who the messenger is if he doesn’t agree with the message before saying, “True leaders lead.”
Celebrity hairstylist Elgin Charles wrote, “Attn. Kanye West supporters [and] sympathizers: Anti-Blackness is NOT a symptom of bipolar disorder.” While responding to a commenter who asked, “Do white lives not matter?” former TMZ producer and personality Van Lathan explained why Ye’s message does not resonate with the masses.
“We don’t need a reminder of the worth of white lives. America is a shrine to the worth of white people,” Lathan began. He added that “it ALWAYS has to be about white people in America.” Lathan and West have had discussions on the topic in the past, with the former TMZ producer trying to educate the rapper on what the movement is about.
Vogue editor Gabriella Karefa-Johnson called Ye out on Instagram for his shirt’s message. In a series of Story posts, she called his choice of clothing “deeply offensive, violent and dangerous.” West got wind of her statements and released one of his own, essentially bashing the Black editor. Gigi Hadid, a white model, responded in Karefa-Johnson’s defense calling Yeezy a “bully and a joke” who wished he “had a percentage of her intellect.”
Read more tweets below.