Kanye West Raises Eyebrows With 'White Lives Matter' T-Shirt Design
Rebuttal
This is all that needs to be said in regards to Kanye West and his White Lives Matter shirt. pic.twitter.com/v2ykdgT4WN
— _Joesy_ 🧚🏾♀️ (@015Serenity) October 3, 2022
First, many commenters argued over whether the phrase "white lives matter" was necessarily racist. Ye's critics argued that this phrase only exists in opposition to the phrase "Black Lives Matter," and exists only to distract from conversations about white supremacy.
prevnextBlack Models
Kanye west making Black models wear “ white lives matter” shirts is a culmination of his anti blackness and his immersion in white supremacy ideologies and methods. Disgusting pic.twitter.com/yIaVKPYEBB
— ꧁༺ӄɛɛք ȶʀɨɢɢɛʀɨռɢ ʀǟƈɨֆȶֆ ʍɛɢɦǟռ༻꧂ (@Blu_Alexia_) October 3, 2022
Fans spared some sympathy for the Black models who were faced with the decision between wearing Ye's shirt or turning down a potentially life-changing gig.
prevnextAnti-Racist Past
Kanye West was on instagram not too long ago talking about the Kardashians we’re corrupting his BLACK children… just to be wearing a White Lives Matter shirt pic.twitter.com/mesEFeDteG
— vivi🔪 (@08_____02) October 3, 2022
Fans wondered how Ye squared his history of anti-racist commentary with stunts like this one.
prevnextPoor Company
Kanye wearing matching White Lives Matter shirts with Candace Owens
This picture is insane ☠️ pic.twitter.com/hJG0xtFmXA
— Kurrco (@Kurrco) October 3, 2022
Many critics were furious to see Ye spending time with author and conservative pundit Candace Owens. Her enthusiastic endorsement of this shirt was enough criticism as far as some were concerned.
prevnextEncouraging
Not Kanye got the white folks geeking with this white lives matter shirt🤨 pic.twitter.com/BXTqnzErsC
— Ant-man (@BlessDrizzy) October 3, 2022
Critics argued that most of the people defending Ye's new t-shirt seemed to be white.
prevnextJaden Smith
Jaden Smith’s reaction to Kanye West’s White Lives Matter shirt‼️ pic.twitter.com/U2tGgEMm4X
— RapTV (@Rap) October 3, 2022
I Can’t Stand Behind What Kanye’s Saying, He Does Not Have The Full Support Of The Youth.
— Jaden (@jaden) October 3, 2022
Jaden Smith seemed to condemn Ye's shirt directly with his own tweets after the event.
prevnext'Trolling'
Kanye: *supports Trump*
Kanye stans: don’t worry guys he’s just trolling hard lmao
Kanye: *wears white lives matter shirt*
Kanye stans: lmao you guys fell for it, classic Kanye troll move
Kanye: *beats someone to death in a Wal Mart*
Kanye stans: omg guys he was trolling
— autumn (@autumn_breezy13) October 3, 2022
You can stop blaming Kanye West's actions on mental illness. He's a grown man with billions of dollars pandering to his audience to sell overpriced shoes. pic.twitter.com/wZBA8fAfeJ
— Fifty Shades of Whey (@davenewworld_2) October 3, 2022
Finally, some fans wondered how long Ye's defenders could write off behavior like this as "trolling."
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