Kim Kardashian has responded to claims that Kanye West recently defended R. Kelly and Michael Jackson, saying that the rapper was “speaking about his own experience” and “not defending anyone else”.
In a discussion at his Sunday Service event this weekend (January 13), Ye talked about separating the art from the artist – claiming that documentaries often emerge after public figures behave controversially.
In the speech, he referenced Michael Jackson following new allegations of sexual assault against children in an upcoming documentary. Many have also interpreted West’s words to be in defence of R. Kelly, who has also faced renewed accusations of sexual assault following the Surviving R. Kelly docu-series.
“Everybody, they want the art from the artist, but anytime they do anything erratic, they just gonna pull up full documentaries on ’em,” said Kanye (via TMZ). “And then they gonna come with the Michael [Jackson] documentary.
“We can enjoy all their music all we want. I thought I wasn’t going to go there today but uh … If we gon’ tear down artists, let’s go ahead and take [Leonardo] da Vinci out the Louvre while we at it. Let’s take down all the art.”
As West’s comments have been met with an online backlash, his wife Kim Kardashian has now spoken out to add clarity to the rapper’s statements.
I’m going to nip this in the bud right now. Kanye was speaking about his own experience of everyone quick to say they are cancelling him because of differences in opinion & not being perfect. The analogies were in context to his own experiences, not defending anyone else.
— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) January 14, 2019
“I’m going to nip this in the bud right now,” Kardashian tweeted. “Kanye was speaking about his own experience of everyone quick to say they are cancelling him because of differences in opinion & not being perfect. The analogies were in context to his own experiences, not defending anyone else.”
Later, she posted an update to say that Ye’s words had been “taken out of context due to timing”.
“I want to make it very clear, he is not condoning anyone’s actions or unacceptable disgusting behaviour,” she posted. “My husband’s words are being taken out of context due to timing.
I’m going to nip this in the bud right now. Kanye was speaking about his own experience of everyone quick to say they are cancelling him because of differences in opinion & not being perfect. The analogies were in context to his own experiences, not defending anyone else.
— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) January 14, 2019
Meanwhile, in the wake of multiple allegations levelled at R. Kelly, footage recently emerged that appears to incriminate the artist for knowingly marrying Aaliyah when she was underage.
The clip of Kelly in a recording studio in 1994 is overlaid with a voice recording in which he says: “Right now I’m producing a very talented lady – a young lady. She’s 14, Aaliyah. She’s real street.”
His lawyer has in the past denied that his client knew the late pop star was just 15 when the pair secretly married.