Kanye West is certainly not known for holding back when it comes to his lofty thoughts on innovation, politics, and creativity. But he has taken a lot of criticism for his outspoken support of President Trump. So, when he went on Jimmy Kimmel, a staunch opponent of the Trump administration, there was always going to be a bit of controversy.
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However, Kanye decided to stay out of a party-political debate and instead focused on what can be done to heal the division in our society. He had some particularly interesting thoughts on the whole concept of “pride.”
Pride, he said, was too often acknowledged as being a positive term, when it is, in fact, a seriously damaging thing.
“We’re always pushing out so much hate,” Kanye said after being asked about his support for the current President. “And love can cure so much. Just think ‘am I moving in love? Not out of pride.'”
Kanye added: “Pride is a word that people often say in a positive connotation but it’s actually one of the seven deadly sins. Replace pride with love. ”
The rapper mentioned his wife, Kim Kardashian and her personal lobbying of the President to ensure the early release of Alice Johnson, the 63-year-old former drug trafficker who had her life term commuted after serving 21 years behind bars.
“When I see people have a go at the president, I think why not try love? Stand up against all odds and just hug somebody, like Alice Jonhson hugged her family when she got outta jail,” he said.
Kanye noted that only love can “diffuse this nuclear bomb of hate we are in as a society,” adding that animosity between people can be cured by “thinking of everyone as our family.”
West also talked openly about his struggle with bipolar disorder. “I think it’s important for us to have open conversations about mental health,” he told Kimmel, adding that people who are struggling with mental health conditions “need to be able to express themselves without fear of judgment.”
Interestingly, West chimed in on just how harsh the groupthink is in Hollywood, claiming that it took him well over a year to gather up the courage to put on the Make America Great Again hat and snap a picture in it. He says he was warned by colleagues that his career would be over and that he’d even be shunned in the black community.
Regardless of whether or not you agree with his views, his willingness to stand by them no matter the consequences is to be commended.
Watch the full interview below.