Kanye West Launches Into 'Today' Tirade
HOLLYWOOD (ET/CBS) - The performer lamented his "brutal" interview on the "Today" show, which had some awkward moments as he spoke with the news anchor about former United States President George W. Bush's response to the hip-hop icon's racism accusations.
Bush told Lauer in a recent interview that racism accusations like Kanye's comment "George Bush doesn't care about black people" following Hurricane Katrina brought about the worst moment of his presidency.
"I empathize with the idea of being pegged as a racist," Kanye said on Thursday, revealing that he was accused of racism after the Taylor Swift incident at the 2009 MTV Awards. The rap star went on to confess: "I didn't have the grounds to call him a racist."
While searching for the right words to express his motivation behind making some of his most notable controversial comments, Kanye became distracted by something off-camera, saying, "Can we be quiet for a second?"
Kanye was also unhappy with the show playing footage of the music producer interrupting Taylor Swift's acceptance speech in 2009, demanding that the footage be stopped.
"Please don't let that happen, it's like ridiculous," Kanye told Lauer.
After the interview wrapped, Kanye took to his Twitter account, posting a mini-rant.
"Before I take off let me tell you how they did me at the Today show," he wrote. "I went up there to express how I was empathetic to Bush because I labeled him a racist and years later I got labeled as a racist. While I was trying to give the interview they started playing the "MTV" under me with audio!!!!!!! I don't mess with Matt Lauer or the Today Show ... and that's a very nice way for me to put it! HE TRIED TO FORCE MY ANSWERS. IT WAS VERY BRUTAL AND I CAME THERE WITH ONLY POSITIVE INTENT. I feel very alone very used very tortured very forced very misunderstood very hollow very very misused. I can't be everybody's hero and villain savior and sinner Christian and anti Christ! Everything sounds like noise!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! EVERYTHING SOUNDS LIKE NOISE!!!!!!! I don't trust anyone! He played clips of Bush and asked me to look at his face while I was trying to talk to him. I wish Michael Jackson had twitter!!!!!! This is rock and roll life my people... you can't stop the truth you can't stop the music and I have to be strong or "they" win!!!!"
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