Kanye West wears a White Lives Matter top at his Yeezy fashion show
Topics: Kanye West, Celebrity, US News, Fashion, Racism
Rachel Lang
Featured Image Credit: @PhotosOfKanye/Twitter. realcandaceowens/Instagram
Topics: Kanye West, Celebrity, US News, Fashion, Racism
Kanye West is making a statement - a fashion statement... and possibly a political one.
The Donda rapper staged a show at Paris Fashion Week to showcase season nine of his Yeezy clothing line, along with daughter North in tow.
But it wasn't the pop-up fashion show that caused a stir.
Instead, it was the 45-year-old musician's choice of clothing.
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West, also known simply as 'Ye', wore a long-sleeved shirt with the Pope on the front and 'White Lives Matter' written across the back.
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… pic.twitter.com/YT4a6c9tKI
— Marc Lamont Hill (@marclamonthill) October 3, 2022
"I am Ye, and everyone here knows that I am the leader" #YZYSZN9 pic.twitter.com/MTo4lPT22L
— Photos Of Ye (@PhotosOfKanye) October 3, 2022
He completed his bizarre look with a pair of boujie diamond-studded thongs... because of course.
Several runway models wore shirts with the 'White Lives Matter' slogan written across the back, as well as controversial US commentator Candace Owens who was spotted at the event.
The slogan has caused quite a stir online, as 'White Lives Matter' burst on to the scene in 2015 as a white supremacist response to the Black Lives Matter movement.
West's controversial sartorial choice certainly ruffled feathers on social media, with many taking to the internet to slam the black rapper for pushing a slogan that promotes white supremacy.
Kanye West wears ‘White Lives Matter’ shirt at Yeezy show. pic.twitter.com/Jmo78QksmI
— Pop Base (@PopBase) October 3, 2022
One social media user said: "Kanye West's 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."
A second added: "The reason why there is no need for Kanye West or anyone else to wear a white lives matter shirt is because never in the history of this country has the value that America puts on white lives ever been in question."
A third said: "Kanye in the 'white lives matter' t-shirt with Candace Owens. That man is irredeemable."
Another went for the religious angle: "Sending a 'white lives matter' t-shirt down a runway in Paris is literal insanity and no amount of gospel is getting that man through Heaven’s gate."
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… pic.twitter.com/YT4a6c9tKI
— Marc Lamont Hill (@marclamonthill) October 3, 2022
Kanye in the “white lives matter” t shirt with Candace Owens 😭😭😭😭😭😭 that man is irredeemable
— Ras Don (@DHPBJ) October 3, 2022
Others on social media brought up West's trip to the White House wearing a pro-Trump MAGA hat.
The rapper also stirred controversy in 2013 when he wore a jacket adorned with the Confederate flag, which is widely seen as a symbol of oppression for African Americans.
According to Page Six, audiences were also treated to a classic Kanye rant.
“I am Ye, and everyone here knows that I am the leader,” he said at one point, as per Page Six.
He added: "You can’t manage me."
It is not clear if Kanye was making a political statement... but he sure as hell has made a fashion statement, that's for sure.