Kanye West defends 'White Lives Matter' shirt in Tucker Carlson exclusive
Kanye West joins 'Tucker Carlson Tonight' and discusses blowback over controversial shirt, his father and history of racial discrimination in America.
Kanye West, who now goes by Ye, took aim at Sean "Diddy" Combs after the Bad Boy Records founder criticized the "White Lives Matter" shirts West debuted at his Yeezy season 9 presentation in Paris Monday.
The 45-year-old declared "war" on Diddy, 52, in a text message exchange between the two that Ye shared in multiple posts to Instagram Friday.
The back-and-forth appeared to come after West and Diddy had a contentious conversation on the phone.
"I didn't like our convo. I'm selling these tees. Nobody can get in between me and my money," West wrote.
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Ye took aim at Sean "Diddy" Combs after the Bad Boy Records founder criticized West's "White Lives Matter." (Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)
"This is my grandfather texting you now. Never call me with no bulls--t like that again unless you ready to green light me. Cause anybody that got on that tee is me.
"Out of respect for everything you've meant to me, I'll be quiet as Virgil," West added, in an apparent reference to the late fashion designer Virgil Abloh, who died of cancer last November.
"Come do something illegal to me noooow pleeeeeeeeease."
West captioned the post, "God is Love. My brother misspoke to me but I still love him."
In another screenshot of the text exchange, Diddy responded by asking for an in-person meeting to discuss the controversy
"As soon as I land we'll meet face to face!!! Send me address," the "Coming Home" singer wrote.
"N----a, F------k you. You fed," West responded.
The "Flashing Lights" hitmaker shared another text exchange in which Diddy continued to ask for an address and told West that he shouldn't "feel threatened."
Ye and Candace Owens wore the shirts to the rapper's YZY SZN 9 presentation in Paris Monday. (Candace Owens Twitter)
Diddy wrote, "N----a send me a address. Let's stop playing these internet games. And don't feel threatened. You'll be fine. Just love."
"This ain't a game," West replied. "Ima use you as an example to show the Jewish people that told you to call me that no one can threaten or influence me.
"I told you this was war. Now gone get you some business."
In the last exchange that West shared on Friday, Diddy wrote, "I'm just trying to talk to you as a black man. And I'm talking to you because this is hurting our people. Stop."
"Anything you text I will post," Ye replied. "I love you. And you guys are breaking my heart. I accept your apology in advance."
A representative for Diddy told Fox News Digital that they don’t have any further comment.
The text exchange between the two rappers comes after Diddy discussed West's "White Lives Matter" shirts during a Wednesday appearance on "The Breakfast Club" radio show.
When the topic of the shirts was raised, Diddy said West was a "super free thinker" and that his meaning was often "misconstrued."
The record executive clarified that he wasn't defending West, adding, "If he did it, then that's the way he thinks.
"I understand that White lives do matter, but it's not that. That was our slogan," he said. "That wasn't our slogan to go share with nobody else.
"We don't have to condemn Kanye or cancel him."
However, Diddy said West needed to be responsible for his actions and that he wouldn't be releasing a tribute T-shirt to his fellow entertainer that day as he had planned.
"I'm gonna still do it," the Sean John founder said. "I just need a couple of days to get over this T-shirt because, right now, we're the ones that are dying, that are incarcerated, that [live] in poverty, not getting any money for reparations and, on top of that, flooding our communities with drugs and guns."
In June, Ye made a surprise appearance at the BET Awards 2022 to present a lifetime achievement award to Diddy. (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Diddy also said it was not the time for "unnecessary noise" from West or Candace Owens. Owens joined West at his fashion show and was also wearing a "White Lives Matter" shirt.
"To me, it was a little tone deaf," Diddy said.
The New York native reiterated his feelings about the shirt in a video he shared to Instagram Thursday.
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"I am not about to be addressing every last thing that’s going on in the world on the internet, but the thing I do have to address is this ‘White Lives Matter’ T-shirt," Diddy said in the clip.
"I’ve always been there, and I will always support my brother Kanye as a free thinker. But the ‘White Lives Matter’ T-shirt, I don’t rock with it, you know what I’m saying? I’m not with it.
West addressed the "White Lives Matter" T-shirt controversy during his interview with Fox News' Tucker Carlson Thursday night. The second part of his interview airs Friday at 8 p.m. ET on Fox News. (Fox News )
"Right now, all America has planned for us is poverty, incarceration and death," he said. "So before I can get to any other lives matter — which all lives matter — that Black Lives Matter, don’t play with it. Don’t wear the shirt. Don’t buy the shirt. Don’t play with the shirt. It’s not a joke."
Diddy and West have shared a long friendship and have worked together on music projects.
In June, West made a surprise appearance at the BET Awards 2022 to present a lifetime achievement award to Diddy along with Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds.
The 24-time Grammy Award winner addressed the "White Lives Matter" shirt controversy during his interview with Fox News' Tucker Carlson Thursday night. The second part of West's "Tucker Carlson Tonight" interview airs Friday at 8 p.m. ET.
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