John Legend Says He Still Loves Kanye West ‘Like a Brother’ and Would Still Hang Out With Him
Rumors of friction between singers John Legend and Kanye West may have been exaggerated. Legend still speaks highly of West, despite sometimes public disagreements. West and Legend worked together from Legend’s first album Get Lifted to his 2013 album Love In the Future. They also toured together.
Legend was a guest on the WTF with Marc Maron podcast on July 6. When Maron asked Legend about West, Legend left the door open for their friendship.
Work, not politics, separated John Legend and Kanye West
Legend and West had a public feud when West first endorsed his support for Donald Trump. Legend publicly asked West to reconsider, but also texted him privately. West shared those private texts on social media. Now, Legend says it’s more their career paths that keep them apart. Legend recorded his first few albums on West’s GOOD Music label.
“It’s fine,” Legend told Maron. “We’re not as close as we were mostly for work reasons. I’m not signed to his production company anymore and we haven’t worked on an album together since 2013. I used to tour with him. I used to be signed to his production company. We used to have all these built in reasons for us to be in the same space. Now he’s in Wyoming.”
The Legends and Wests are still friends
Whatever friction came between Kanye and John did not trickle down to their families. West is married to Kim Kardashian West and Legend to Chrissy Teigen. Legend says the families remain friends, though distance makes getting together difficult.
“Our families are still close so we’ll go to their Christmas or Easter party or a birthday,” Legend said. “So we still see each other but not nearly as much.”
Nothing can truly come between John Legend and Kanye West
Legend continued to explain that the bond he formed with West when both were beginning in music will last forever. West was Legend’s producer before he became a solo rapper. Politics can’t threaten that.
“Obviously we’ve had our public disputes about politics but I still love him like a brother,” Legend said. “I’m so grateful for everything we’ve done together. I think our love is based on so much history together, so much that we are proud of that we’ve done together.”
Legend does not try to explain West. He respects how open West has been about his personal struggles.
“He’s talked about being bipolar,” Legend said. “He’s talked about some of that before. I don’t know that I saw that in him at the beginning. Obviously, it’s something he’s up front of it and he’s dealing with. I don’t know the ins and outs of all that.”
Legend did not address West’s announcement of his presidential campaign in this interview with Maron. However, he alluded to the many statements West has made over the years.
“Even when I disagree with him and shake my head at some of the things he says, I still have that love for him,” Legend said. “Honestly, it’s so much history. We were on the road together. We were making music together when no one believed in either of us. When you have that with somebody, it creates a bond that will stay. Even as your life evolves you’re in different places, you’ll stillhave that.”
