John Legend Labels Kanye West’s Antisemitic, Anti-Black Turn “Shocking”
I’m guessing you’ve scrolled past the headlines, so let me spell out why John Legend finds Kanye West’s fall into antisemitism and anti-Blackness so jaw-dropping. The EGOT winner, who once rode shotgun on Ye’s G.O.O.D. Music roster in the early 2000s, told The Times that he’s “sometimes shocked” by the former business partner’s public unraveling. Back when Kanye was fresh off producing Jay-Z’s 2001 smash The Blueprint, Legend says Ye brimmed with boundless optimism, creativity and an inclusive vision for their collaborative projects. Legend even recalls how his own career got a turbo boost after Kanye’s 2004 debut The College Dropout propelled G.O.O.D. Music into the spotlight—and turned skeptical labels into overnight believers in Legend’s talent.
But according to Legend, the tide began to turn after 2007, when Kanye’s mother passed away from coronary artery disease. That tragedy, he suggests, marked the start of a darker trajectory. Although Legend professes he’s no armchair psychologist, he watched as Ye morphed from musical trailblazer to provocateur, lining up public endorsements of Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign and making headlines for praising Hitler and dropping repeated antisemitic slurs in interviews. Most alarming, Legend points out, is the rapper’s recent merch sell-off of swastika ‑branded apparel on his website, which forced a belated Instagram apology to the Jewish community in December 2023.
Legend emphasizes that nothing in Ye’s early persona hinted at these beliefs. “He had big dreams not only for himself but also for all the people around him,” Legend told The Times, stressing how he never saw “a hint” of antisemitism or anti-Blackness in Kanye’s initial public life. He says the “descent” feels inexplicable—and “sad to see his devolution.” For context, Legend’s firsthand account spans two decades of collaboration, touring together as vocalist and keyboard player, and experiencing the rapid fame wave that followed Kanye’s buzzy production credits. Their bond began to fray noticeably after Ye’s public political pivot in 2016, and Legend admits the shift only accelerated from there.
In short, if you thought you understood Kanye West’s controversies, John Legend’s candid reflections underscore just how steep—and early—Ye’s slide began. From a creative wunderkind signing opportunities out of labels’ reach to a figure mired in hateful rhetoric, Ye’s arc is as bewildering to insiders as it is to fans. And while Legend stops short of diagnosing his ex-friend’s mental state, he’s clear on one point: this is not the Kanye they once knew.
Hopefully that cleared things up without too much effort on your part.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and The Times, HuffPost
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
