YouTube
Are we paying too much attention to what Kanye West said about slavery? Furthermore, should Black folks be responding to his opinions in such large numbers and with so much passion instead of focusing on real issues?
It’s a topic that was addressed by David Banner, who said people spend too much time expressing their disapproval of celebrities and their opinions.
“Kanye has the right to say whatever he wants to say, but I’m more disappointed that our people waste so much time on something that anybody says,” said Banner in a recent interview.
“At the end of the day, we put so much power in the people who bounce basketballs or throw footballs or rap. There’re so many things that are going on in America that we should be talking about, and we should be focused, and I look all down my timeline and it’s about something or somebody that people say they disagree with so much,” he added.
The Jackson, Mississippi rapper also touched on Ye saying that free thought is behind his decision to support Donald Trump and that slavery was a choice.
But what the Chicago rapper is missing, said Banner, is that one has to connect free thinking with responsible speaking, meaning just because you think something doesn’t mean you have to say it.
“There’s a difference between free thought and responsibility,” said the “Cadillac on 22s” creator. “I’m more disappointed in him not having the responsibility to know what and what not to say. Yeah, he’s free to think it if he wants to, but I hope he sees there’s a responsibility in things that happen. You can think what you want to, but there’s also a connection to what you say.”
Many are aware Banner has created a name for himself as an entertainer and activist, and since the start of his career has made advocating for the community a big part of his mission. The rapper said that Kanye and others have done the opposite as they became more popular. Banner said it bothers him that in the beginning of his career Ye seemed to have a sense of altruism but not anymore.
“Everybody starts off when they’re local or when they’re young and up and coming, it’s about the people, it’s about me reppin’ the hood and me reppin’ the people,” said Banner. “Then it becomes about me, me, me — that’s what I have a problem with.”
A lot of folks who saw Banner’s interview agreed with him, especially the point he made about people responding to a celebrity’s opinion.
“I lend no credence to anything Kanye’, Kim K or any celebrity or professional athletes say outside of their chosen professions,” one person commented. “These people are not scholars, politicians, sociologists or psychotherapists. Kanye is a genius in his profession. Outside of that, his opinion holds no value to me. None. We give these people more power than they deserve.”
https://youtu.be/xTIIU7UQc-I
