National

Kanye West: If I had voted, it would have been for Trump

By Kate Irby

kirby@mcclatchy.com

November 18, 2016 08:21 AM

Kanye West said on one stop of his Saint Pablo Tour that he didn’t vote in the presidential election, but if he had it would’ve been for Donald Trump. Kevork Djansezian ASSOCIATED PRESS

When it came to celebrity power, Hillary Clinton had more of Hollywood on her side than Donald Trump. But one prominent, and perhaps surprising, star says he supported Trump over Clinton.

Rapper Kanye West was performing a show on his Saint Pablo Tour in San Jose, California Thursday night, when he paused the performance to give a politically-charged speech. It opened on him saying he would have voted for Trump.

“If I would’ve voted, I would’ve voted for Trump,” West told the crowd, prompting boos from members of a state that had overwhelmingly supported Clinton in the election.

But West wasn’t deterred, saying that doesn’t mean he doesn’t support women’s rights, the Black Lives Matter movement and gay and lesbian rights. He added that he felt vindicated when Trump won, because as a black man and a celebrity he felt persecuted for supporting Trump.

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Then he continued with a statement possibly even more controversial.

“To black people, stop focusing on racism. This world is racist, OK?” West said. “Stop being distracted to focus on that as much. It’s just an (expletive) fact. We are in a racist country. Period.”

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However, one Twitter user live-tweeting the 40-minute speech quoted West saying he was glad Trump “inspired racists to reveal themselves.”

West also reportedly shouted, “build the wall,” after finishing another song, referring to Trump’s campaign promise to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

West later reaffirmed he planned to run for president in 2020, but with a “different political model.”

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Some on Twitter were surprised by West’s statements, though the rapper is known for being somewhat unpredictable. Many pointed to West’s statement in 2006 that former President George W. Bush “doesn’t care about black people,” to illustrate that the rapper has changed.

November 18, 2016