Kanye West, Candace Owens. Source: Jason Davis; Gilbert Carrasquillo / Getty
UPDATE: Black Lives Matter has released a statement to TMZ regarding West and Owens wearing matching “White Lives Matter” shirts at the YZY fashion show in Paris. See excerpts below.
On Monday, Kanye West and Candace Owens wore shirts emblazoned with the words ‘White Lives Matter’ at the YZY Season 9 Presentation in Paris. The stunt was a clear affront to Black Lives Matter, which has been measured as the largest racial justice movement in
history. Black models walked the runway wearing the same slogan. ‘All Lives Matter’ and ‘White Lives Matter’ have long served as violent retorts to the Black Lives Matter movement, used by white supremacists and hate groups, including the Ku Klux Klan.
In a follow-up statement, Kanye was clear that he intended to kill the Black Lives Matter movement. Black Lives Matter Grassroots sees this as a teachable moment. Political education is core to what we do. While some may see Kanye and Candace’s stunt as a distraction, we
recognize that it harms thousands of families fighting for justice for their loved ones killed by statesanctioned violence. It can spread toxic confusion and be used to legitimize violent assaults on Black people. Battling misinformation while continuing to do the hard that liberation requires is nothing new for us.
Kanye West and Candace Owens sent a performative dog whistle to millions. Kanye knows very well that ‘white lives’ have never been targeted for oppression. Black folks, in contrast, are at the bottom of virtually every economic, social, and political measure because of centuries of individual and institutional racism. Building a world of Black freedom means upending systems that harm and building new systems of care. Ultimately this benefits everyone. When Black people get free, everybody gets free.
ORIGINAL STORY
During Paris Fashion Week, Ye (formerly known as Kanye West) dropped jaws from France to the United States. At his YZY fashion show where he unveiled his season nine collection, he and Candace Owens popped out with matching “White Lives Matter” shirts. While the controversial phrase was on the back of the shirt, an image of the pope was on the front.
Before the start of the fashion show, he gave a lengthy speech where he brought up his ex-wife Kim Kardashian being robbed in Paris, his ex-manager Scooter Braun and other unrelated topics. During his lengthy speech, he was quite grandiose. He made comments like “I am Ye and everyone here knows that I am the leader” and “You can’t manage me. This is an unmanageable situation.”
He added, “It’s the ultimate stigma. People feel like they have the right to come to my face and call me crazy, like it doesn’t hurt my feelings, or like you don’t have to be crazy in order to change the world.”
Candace Owens Called West’s Ex-Wife A Prostitute
It’s a bit surprising that Ye was seen being buddy-buddy with Candace Owens after she condemned Kim Kardashian and Kris Jenner on her talk show, Candace. During a recent episode, she called Jenner a pimp and Kardashian a prostitute. She bashed them over reports that they intentionally leaked Kardashian’s sex tape with Ray J in 2007
“I now hold the opinion that Kim Kardashian is a prostitute and I am not going to edit this,” she said. “Her mother is a pimp — worse than a prostitute. Kim Kardashian is a corpse. She’s a body without a soul. She is so emblematic of the society that we live in today, that if you are willing to degrade yourself, if you are willing to denigrate yourself, then our society, our American society will give you more.”
Take a look at Ye’s speech below.
