Kanye West Perplexed By Backlash Over ‘White Lives Matter’ Designs

Kanye West kicked off the YZYSZN9 fashion show by unveiling T-shirts with the slogan “White Lives Matter.” As a result, the topic immediately became trending on Twitter, and the rapper was heavily criticized. A source now revealed that Kanye was baffled by the criticism.

Page Six reports, far from being a deliberate publicity stunt aimed to incite controversy, sources close to Kanye West say the rapper-turned-designer is perplexed by the negative reaction to his current collection. West wore a t-shirt with the Pope’s face on the front and the words “White Lives Matter” on the back to the surprise Paris Fashion Week launch of his YZY Season Nine collection on Monday.

He brought controversial conservative YouTuber Candace Owens, who was also wearing the same shirt as his guest, and models wore the shirt throughout the show. When he saw the bizarre designs, front-row visitor Jaden Smith left the show immediately, and West was roundly attacked by public figures, journalists, and activists. However, sources who have spent time with West since the show in France tell us that he is disappointed that he was unable to effectively communicate his message.

He thinks it’s a PC thing. He wants to give a voice to the ‘other side’ [of the race debate in America]. He doesn’t understand why people aren’t seeing that.

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According to the New York Times, the Anti-Defamation League has called the phrase “White Lives Matter” which was coined as a rejoinder to the Black Lives Matter movement “hate speech and attributed [it] to white supremacists (including the Ku Klux Klan).” West has been upfront about his bipolar disorder struggles, and he also said a hospitalization in a rambling speech before the show began.

Kanye’s controversies appear to be taking a severe toll on him right now. Let’s see what he does next to get over it. To get the latest updates, keep an eye on Thirsty.

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