While millions across the world are fans of the infamous American Rapper, Kanye West, many others believe he is not a figure that fans should support. Many of West’s followers are often known for having racist views and violently acting to promote them.

In a 2018 interview with the New York Times, West explained how he feels about people such as civil rights advocates, naming Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X.

“Man, I know this is going to cause an uproar, but certain icons are just too far in the past and not relatable and that’s what makes them safe,” West said.

While extreme racism can be hard to talk about, these activists strove to create equal rights for African Americans in the United States. By totally undermining their hard work and legacy, West makes himself seem irrational.

Not only does West promote racist views, but he has engaged in online and real-life drama with Taylor Swift since 2009.

When Swift won her first Video Music Award in 2009, West ran onto the stage and ruined her speech. A 2020 article from BBC News details the moment West stole her microphone and said, “Taylor Swift, I’mma let you finish, but Beyoncé had one of the best videos of all time!”

West’s objection was to say that Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies” video deserved the prize more than Swift’s “You Belong With Me.”

At the time of the awards, Swift was 19 years old and new to the music industry. Instead of congratulating Swift on her accomplishment, West decided to steal the microphone from her, causing uproar and humiliation. All other artists in the audience had the respect and sense to stay in their seats and clap, while West decided to publicly humiliate a teenager in front of celebrities and the entire internet.

If that was not bad enough, in 2016, more problems started with the release of West’s new song, Famous.

In one of the lyrics, he calls Swift a derogatory term, in the line “I made that b*tch famous.”

After West released his music video for Famous, Swift claimed she did not know that he would refer to her in that way and objected to it. To fight back, West’s wife, Kim Kardashian, then shared an edited phone call where it seems like Swift is agreeing to that line. However, West never told Swift that he would call her that. 

These events, among many others, show how West is self-absorbed and uncaring. While many argue that they are fans of West for his music, it’s hard to dismiss his insensitive comments and impulsive actions.