Kanye West Slams ‘Not Special’ Biden, Says He’s Open to Running to Hurt Dem Share of Black Vote
Kanye West singled out Joe Biden for criticism in his first interview since tweeting that he was running for president, implying that he would be fine with running to hurt Biden’s support among African Americans.
Speaking to Forbes, West outlined some of his political views as he mulls a run for president — he clarified that he has 30 days to make a final decision on whether he will officially launch a campaign, after tweeting Saturday that he is running. West was vocal about his opposition to the Democratic Party, which he said is “threatening” African Americans into voting for it.
“I was threatened into being in one party. I was threatened as a celebrity into being in one party. I was threatened as a Black man into the Democratic party,” West said. “And that’s what the Democrats are doing, emotionally, to my people. Threatening them to the point where this white man can tell a Black man if you don’t vote for me, you’re not Black.”
While West said it was “a form of racism and white supremacy and white control” to “assume that me running is me splitting the (black) vote,” when asked if he is ok with helping Trump’s reelection prospects by denting Biden’s African American support, West said he would be.
“I’m not denying it, I just told you. To say that the Black vote is Democratic is a form of racism and white supremacy,” he said.
West repeatedly slammed Biden, especially over his viral “you ain’t black comment” in a May interview with radio DJ Charlamagne tha God. In the interview, Biden claimed that any undecided African-America voter isn’t really black, but later apologized for the insensitivity of the remark.
“We act like we didn’t hear that man say that? That man said that. It’s a rap,” West stated. “We gonna walk, all the people. Jay-Z said it best. For the other candidates, I just gracefully suggest y’all bow out — Trump and Biden, gracefully bow out.”
The rapper and fashion mogul acknowledged that his past support of President Trump is now in conflict with his political aspirations, but warned that Biden was “not special.”
“I’m not saying Trump’s in my way, he may be a part of my way. And Joe Biden? Like come on man, please. You know? Obama’s special. Trump’s special. We say Kanye West is special,” West declared. “America needs special people that lead. Bill Clinton? Special. Joe Biden’s not special.”
Asked about West’s possible run for president in a White House interview, Trump told RealClearPolitics that West has “a real voice” and would make 2020 “very interesting,” but called it a “trial run.”
If he did it,” Trump said, “he would have to view this as a trial run for what’s going to happen in four years.”
