Kanye West made a statement at his surprise Yeezy fashion show on Monday, wearing a black sweatshirt with the slogan ‘White Lives Matter’ written across it.
Fashion models in the rapper’s show also wore clothing with the message written across it, a response to the Black Lives Matter movement that was founded in 2013 following the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin by George Zimmerman.
Among those modeling was, Selah Marley, 23, the daughter of former Fugees lead singer Lauryn Hill and the granddaughter of the iconic Bob Marley, a chronicler of black people’s struggle for freedom.
Selah posted video showing her talking and joking with West at the event. In the video, Selah is wearing a White Lives Matter shirt.
She captioned the video: ‘Love u @KanyeWest.’ In total, Selah posted three videos showing her wearing the item.
Selah was born during Hill’s long-term relationship with Rohan Marley, the son of reggae artist Bob Marley. The couple had five children together when they were together between 1996 and 2009. The pair never married.
Bob Marley’s granddaughter was among those who modeled West’s new design in Paris
Selah posted photos showing her joking with West while sporting the White Lives Matter shirt
Selah has previously described working with West as ‘exciting’ and ‘inspiring’
On her Instagram Story, Selah posted a video showing her and West staring at a larch screen showing her face
The model, who is represented by NEXT Models, was previously the face of Beyonce’s activewear line, Ivy Park SS17. In a 2017, she described West as one of her role models.
Selah said: ‘He’s been through a lot of persecution in the media and by people, but it doesn’t stop him from being who he is.’
She first worked with West in 2017 during New York Fashion Week. Selah fawned over West in an interview with Vogue over what it was like to work with the rapper.
She said: ‘He is so passionate about everything, and he has you looking forward to his next move, as he always thinks outside the box.’
The former NYU student described the experience as ‘exciting and inspiring.’
West and Lauryn Hill have cross paths in the past. The rapper repurposed Hill’s Mystery of Inequity on one of his breakout hits, 2004’s All Falls Down.
For his 2021 album, Donda, West was at it again, sampling Hill’s Doo Wop (That Thing) on his track Believe What I Say. In a 2020 tweet, West referred to Hill as ‘Our Queen.’
Also posing with West, 43, was the right-wing commentator Candace Owens, who beamed while wearing a complementary version of the ‘White Lives Matter’ shirt, and Kanye’s daughter North West, nine, was even roped into the event.
The move is another in West’s distancing himself from the mainstream of black politics.
Famously in 2005, West made international news when he appeared on a telethon for the victims of Hurricane Katrina and declared: ‘George Bush doesn’t care about black people.’
Since then, however, Kanye has aligned himself with right-wing figures such as Owens, as well as President Donald Trump, regularly sporting a Make America Great Again baseball hat in public.
During a May 2018 interview regarding his support of Trump, West said: ‘Racism isn’t the deal-breaker for me. If that was the case, I wouldn’t live in America.’
Palling around: Also posing with West, 43, was the right-wing commentator Candace Owens, who beamed while wearing a complementary version of the ‘White Lives Matter’ shirt
Shocker: Kanye West made a statement at his surprise Yeezy fashion show on Monday, wearing a black sweatshirt with the slogan ‘White Lives Matter’ written across it; seen Monday
‘I am Ye, and everyone here knows that I am the leader,’ West, 43, said at the event while referencing his new legal name, adding: ‘You can’t manage me.’
It is not the first time that Ye has stoked controversy surrounding race, after saying in 2018 that he thought 400 years of slavery ‘was a choice.’
The Anti-Defamation League has previously called the phrase ‘White Lives Matter’ a hate slogan.
The slogan worn on West and Owens’ shirts has previously been used by the Ku Klux Klan and other white supremacist organizations as an attack against the Black Lives Matter movement and Black people more broadly.
In April 2018, West drew huge criticism when he tweeted: ‘I love the way Candace Owens thinks.’
The same month, West caused major controversy when he said during an appearance on TMZ: ‘When you hear about slavery for 400 years … for 400 years? That sounds like a choice. You were there for 400 years and it’s all of y’all. It’s like we’re mentally imprisoned.’
West later apologized for those remarks but also described them as an example of ‘free thought.’
In response to West’s White Lives Matter sweater, Van Lathan, the former TMZ producer who confronted the rapper on camera in 2018, wrote this Instagram
During the TMZ appearance, West was confronted over his comments by one of the show’s producers, Van Lathan.
In response to West’s White Lives Matter sweater, Lathan wrote on Instagram: ‘We don’t need a reminder of the worth of white lives. America is a shrine to the worth of white people.’
He went on: ‘This message is reactionary to a message affirming the worth of Black lives, which have never been worth anything in America. In its intent, it’s a white supremacist notion.’
Lathan continued: ‘Because it posits that we can’t have a conversation about the worth of Black people without having a conversation about the worth of white people, which is f***ing insane.’
The producer concluded: ‘The notion that it ALWAYS has to be about white people in America is incredibly frustrating, emotional draining, and the whole problem. But here’s Kanye, apparently centering that notion.’
In 2018, West appeared during a performance on Saturday Night Live sporting a Make America Great Again hat
Donald Trump meets with rapper Kanye West in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, October 11, 2018
West attracted controversy in 2013 when he was pictured wearing a jacket with the Confederate flag on the sleeve
In April 2018, West drew huge criticism when he tweeted: ‘I love the way Candace Owens thinks’
Former ESPN presenter Jemele Hill wrote about West’s shirt on Twitter
Will Smith’s son, Jaden, tweeted this in the wake of West’s comments
Temple University Professor Marc Lamont Hill was outspoken in his condemnation of West’s remarks
In the hip-hop community, outspoken rapper Boosie Badazz, who famously bragged about paying prostitutes to perform oral sex on his son, then 12, and nephew, then, 13, called out West
Boosie said: ‘After all we been through as a race you put this disrespectful s**t on? U give no f**ks about how blacks have died n suffered to the hands of the white man n u say Bush don’t like black people… really n****a.’
While Temple University Professor Marc Lamont Hill tweeted the picture of West together with Owen and wrote: ‘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…’
Former ESPN presenter Jemele Hill said: ‘So many folks are trying to excuse Kanye wearing a white lives matter t-shirt as just a troll move or marketing. Maybe it is.’
She went on: ‘But it’s a dangerously dumb message to send for someone with his massive platform. I been off dude. But y’all go ahead labeling his foolishness as genius.’
Will Smith’s son, Jaden, tweeted: ‘I can’t stand behind what Kanye’s saying. He doesn’t have the full support of the youth.’ He followed that up with a simple: ‘Black Lives Matter.’
According to Page Six, West gave a speech to the crowd while wearing the garment, and referenced his ex-wife Kim Kardashian’s Paris robbery in 2016, where she was held at gunpoint, as well as his fallout with clothing giant Gap.
West’s latest appearance with Owens is particularly surprising, as she called his ex Kim a ‘prostitute’ on her Daily Wire show in September after Kardashian’s ex Ray J claimed she and her mother Kris Jenner had released their sex tape in a calculated manner, ‘like an album.’
Although the producer and fashion star has feuded publicly with Kardashian over her parenting and her ex-boyfriend Pete Davidson, he has expressed an ongoing desire to get back together with her for months.
Bringing his family into it: Kanye’s daughter North West, nine, was seen at the event. She was part of a group of children who marched in a circle and sang
Controversies: According to Page Six , West gave a speech to the crowd while wearing the garment, and referenced his ex-wife Kim Kardashian’s Paris robbery in 2016, where she was held at gunpoint, as well as his fallout with clothing giant Gap; seen September 26 in London
Shocking juxtaposition: The front of West’s ‘White Lives Matter’ shirt appeared to show a collage of photo of Pope John Paul II
Historic figure: The bottom caption referred to him in Spanish as ‘Juan Pablo.’ It’s not clear if the late pope is supposed to have any connection to West’s album The Life Of Pablo
West was seen being swarmed by fans and photographers at the fashion show
Owens has previously been critical of the NAACP, the Black Lives Matter movement, has referred to Covid-19 as a scam, and has claimed that white supremacy is not a pressing issue in society.
Prior to the show, the rapper shared a photo of headshots of several models, actresses and singers, including his ex-wife, his current romantic interest Candice Swanepoel, Amelia Hamlin, Angelina Jolie, Emily Ratajkowski and others.
However, it’s unclear if they were all expected to make an appearance, or if they just inspired YZY season nine in some way. According to Page Six, only Naomi Campbell and Hamlin walked the runway.
Shayk was present at the show but stayed on the sidelines.
Notably, the photos of the women were taken years or decades ago when they were particularly young. It’s unclear why he sought out those photos rather than more contemporary photos of them.
During his introduction to the show, West also referenced his former manager Scooter Braun.
Braun is perhaps best known to the general public for purchasing Taylor Swift’s master recordings, an act that infuriated her and has led her to rerecord her entire catalogue to prevent the current owners from garnering royalties.
Strange: West’s latest appearance with Owens is particularly surprising, as she called his ex Kim a ‘prostitute’ on her Daily Wire show in September
Rude: She spoke after Kardashian’s ex Ray J claimed Kim and mother Kris Jenner released their sex tape in a calculated manner, ‘like an album.’ Kanye has publicly feuded with Kim over parenting and her ex Pete Davidson while expressing hope that they’ll get back together
Dedication: Fans waiting to see West waited outside for hours in chilly conditions to see him
Strange bedfellows: The slogan worn on West and Owens’ shirts has previously been used by the Ku Klux Klan and other white supremacist organizations as an attack against the Black Lives Matter movement and Black people more broadly
Taking the spotlight: ‘I am Ye, and everyone here knows that I am the leader,’ West, 43, said at the event while referencing his new legal name, adding: ‘You can’t manage me’
Fighting it: The Anti-Defamation League has called ‘White Lives Matter’ a hate slogan
Odd: West recently shared photos of models, actresses and singers — including ex Kim Kardashian — though it’s not clear if they’ll be attending the show, nor why he sought out such young photos of the women
Naomi Campbell and Michèle Lamy were reportedly among those who walked at the show.
Photos from the show appear to show some of the models wearing ‘White Lives Matter’ shirts.
The front of West’s ‘White…
