John Legend, Janelle Monáe and Others Excuse Themselves from Kanye West’s Twitter Narrative

On Wednesday Kanye West reaffirmed his love for Donald Trump and shared multiple pictures on Twitter of an autographed Make America Great Again hat. This came a couple days after he tweeted his support for anti-Black Lives Matter commentator Candace Owens. In perhaps the most notable tweet in a day full of Twitter news, West referred to Trump as his “brother” and noted that they “are both dragon energy.”

You don't have to agree with trump but the mob can't make me not love him. We are both dragon energy. He is my brother. I love everyone. I don't agree with everything anyone does. That's what makes us individuals. And we have the right to independent thought.

— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) April 25, 2018

While West is living out loud and proud of his opinions, it would seem that Yeezy has not converted many fellow celebrities. Several rappers, singers, and others in the music industry responded to West’s latest social media posts with criticism. Some, like Ice T, were succinct in their responses.

This shit is outta control.. I’m DONE. https://t.co/fgMPPmmmik

— ICE T (@FINALLEVEL) April 25, 2018

Make Kanye Black Again. https://t.co/wvKxbL2bjJ

— Smi (@smino) April 25, 2018

Janelle Monáe and John Legend both brought up race in their criticism. In an interview with Hot 97, Monaé responded to West’s comments, “I believe in free thinking, but I don’t believe in free thinking if it’s rooted in, or at the expense of the oppressed. If your free thinking is used as fuel by oppressors to continue to oppress black people, minorities, I think it’s bullshit and it’s not OK.” Legend wrote about it obliquely, not calling out West by name, but instead writing a long Twitter thread about racism in current day America — one that he ended with the statement, “I love that great, brilliant artists have the power to imagine a better future. But artists can’t be blind to the truth.”

I imagine there's some comfort in imagining a future without racism and projecting that onto the present. Thinking if we just deny the truth, it doesn't exist. If history is erased, we don't have to deal with its consequences. However...

— John Legend (@johnlegend) April 25, 2018

I imagine there's some comfort in imagining a future without racism and projecting that onto the present. Thinking if we just deny the truth, it doesn't exist. If history is erased, we don't have to deal with its consequences. However...

— John Legend (@johnlegend) April 25, 2018

I love that great, brilliant artists have the power to imagine a better future. But artists can't be blind to the truth.

— John Legend (@johnlegend) April 25, 2018

I imagine there's some comfort in imagining a future without racism and projecting that onto the present. Thinking if we just deny the truth, it doesn't exist. If history is erased, we don't have to deal with its consequences. However...

— John Legend (@johnlegend) April 25, 2018

Other celebs made light of the situation. After West tweeted out several pictures of his mansion as proof that he is out of “the sunken place,” a reference to Jordan Peele’s horror movie, the filmmaker responded to the shoutout.

do this look like the sunken place 😂 pic.twitter.com/ixzKnaaaSy

— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) April 25, 2018

*Gets inspired
*Starts writing ‘Get Out 2’ https://t.co/zqOW6Xxx9v

— Jordan Peele (@JordanPeele) April 25, 2018

Likewise, Scooter Braun, Kanye’s long-time manager who recently parted ways with the rapper, pretended to be unaware of West’s social-media activity.

Anything new or interesting take place today?

— Scooter Braun (@scooterbraun) April 25, 2018

Earlier in the day West tweeted, “I no longer have a manager. I can’t be managed.” Lupe Fiasco had this zinger.

I love Ye...however the only reason I’d talk to him is so that I could tell him to give Cudi the phone. https://t.co/iOs3cnVN9s

— COBRA|Soul Food 🐍 (@LupeFiasco) April 25, 2018

Still, the Life of Pablo artist wasn’t completely left out to dry. Chance the Rapper came to his support, writing, “Black people don’t have to be democrats.”

Black people don’t have to be democrats.

— Chance The Rapper (@chancetherapper) April 25, 2018