Kanye West Wears Confederate Flag, Rapper Says Flag is 'My Flag,' While Highlighting Present Day Racism During Interview
Kanye West is creating a new controversy after he was spotted over the weekend wearing a jacket with a Confederate flag on the right sleeve.
West's new song "New Slaves," about the presences of modern-day racism in contemporary society, on his new album 'Yeezus' raised eyebrows when the song first came, but now West has prompted a stronger reaction from fans after he was spotted wearing the racially charged flag on his jacket.
West, who was recently engaged to Kim Kardashian, has also been criticized for featuring the flag on merchandise that is on sale during his Yeezus tour. One of the items in question is a T-shirt featuring the flag with a skull and the words "I ain't comin' down."
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During a recent radio interview with Los Angeles radio station 97.1 AMP West took time to explain his decision to feature the flag on merchandise and to personally wearing it.
"React how you want," West said. "Any energy is good energy. You know the Confederate flag represented slavery in a way – that's my abstract take on what I know about it. So I made the song 'New Slaves.' So I took the Confederate flag and made it my flag. It's my flag. Now what are you going to do?"
During the Civil war in the middle of the 19th century the flag was adopted by the Southern states that comprised the Confederacy, but presently has come to define a source of Southern heritage and white pride while becoming the dominate symbol for racism.
There has been vocal opposition to the use of the flag, including Reverend Al Sharpton, who recently compared the symbol to the swastika.
"Often times, people like to falsely believe that the Confederate flag is somehow not offensive. As Jonathan Capehart of the Washington Post highlighted in his recent piece, it's akin to placing a swastika somewhere."
"The Confederate flag symbolizes dehumanization, injustice and pain. It is a stark reminder of an era in our history that was defined by the abhorrent practice of slavery."
