John Legend Says He and Kanye West Are No Longer Friends
John Legend and Kanye West have been cool for as long as we can remember. After working together on some of West’s earliest music, the two became friends. They have gushed about each other in public and hung out many times, from posing for photos at award shows to having dinner at each other’s houses. But somewhere along the line, things took a turn.
John Legend’s comments on his friendship with Kanye West
John Legend addressed his relationship with West in a May 30 interview with The Sunday Times. While he admitted that they are still friendly towards one another, he said they are more so “doing our own thing.”
“He’s up in Wyoming. I’m here in L.A.. We’ve both got growing families and I no longer have a formal business relationship with him as an artist, so I think it’s just part of the natural cycle of life,” said the “All of Me” singer.
He stressed, “I don’t think we’re less friends because of the [Donald Trump] thing.” He noted that they “never” even discussed politics over the years. “It was never a part of our interaction. Our interaction was almost always about creativity and music.”
He continued: “He’s also in a different place musically. He’s doing gospel music. That’s what he’s focused on right now, designing his clothes, so we’re in different places.”
The Donald Trump controversy explained
In case you forgot or just aren’t aware, John Legend was referring to April 2018 when West went on Twitter and backed the controversial president. He posted a photo of an autographed Make America Great Again hat and called Trump his “brother” — though he admitted he “doesn’t agree with 100 percent” with the president.
Amid his rant, Legend apparently texted West. The rapper tweeted out screenshots of the message, which urged him to “reconsider aligning” himself with Trump due to West’s influence and standing to people of color. He also said he didn’t want West to ruin his legacy as one of the greatest musicians of all time.
West expressed his appreciation for the suggestion but ultimately concluded: “Bringing up my fans or my legacy is a tactic based on fear used to manipulate my free thought.”
But John Legend continued, sending another text that said: “Think freely. Think with empathy and context too. Your words and actions have consequences. Much love.” He also said, “And since you’re posting texts, let me add that I have a new single out haha.”
John Legend and Kanye West hung out after that
On April 27, 2018, just two days after the drama, the artists were seen at Chrissy Teigen’s baby shower. West shared a photo from the moment online, noting they simply “agree to disagree.” He also posted a clip of John Legend performing his hit “Ordinary People” along with the caption “Lead with love,” per People.
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