Kanye West has criticised the Me Too movement, describing it as being like “Nineteen Eighty-Four mind control”.
The rapper, music producer and clothing entrepreneur, 44, faced criticism over his decision to collaborate with controversial figures Marilyn Manson and rapper DaBaby on his last album, Donda.
He addressed those criticisms during a wide-ranging, nearly two-and-a-half-hour interview on the Drink Champs podcast.
West – who last month legally changed his name to Ye – suggested those behind the movement against sexual assault in Hollywood and other industries were “power-hungry maniacs”.
Referring to his series of Donda listening parties, he said: “All the Me Too, like when I sit next to Marilyn Manson and DaBaby, right after both of them got cancelled, for five songs. It’s like, they can’t cancel us all.
“They will hit you with accusations of somebody who you was with 10 years ago.
“And then also there’s women who have been through really serious things, pulled in alleys against their will. That’s different than a hug, but it’s classified as the same thing.
“It’s power and politics. Power-hungry maniacs and just control. This is Nineteen Eighty-Four mind control that we in.”
KANYE 2024 pic.twitter.com/Zm2pKcn12t
— ye (@kanyewest) November 4, 2020
Asked what he thinks of cancel culture, West jokingly added: “I love it and I am above it. That’s the clouds. You know when you are in a jet and you look down at the clouds?”
Two tracks on Donda – Jail and Jail pt2 – give co-writing credit to Brian Warner, the real name of shock rocker Manson, who has denied multiple allegations of sexual assault.
DaBaby was widely criticised for homophobic comments made at a music festival.
West also reaffirmed his support for Donald Trump after having worn a Maga hat in support of the former US president at a number of public events.
The rapper, whose own 2020 presidential campaign was short-lived, told the podcast: “I still got a red hat on today. I’ll let y’all know that.
“I might not have got it on but I’ll let y’all know where I stand.”