Kanye West wears Confederate flag jacket, says 'it's my flag'

"It's my flag now!" said Kanye West on Los Angeles 97.1 AMP Radio on Monday. Kanye West leaving his house after taking a private boxing class to stay in shape. He is wearing a green jacket with Confederate flag on a sleeve, hoody, and What Would Jesus Do? (WWJD) Bracelet. Saturday, November 2, 2013. Juliano/x17online.com EXCLUSIVE (Juliano/x17online.com)

Oct. 22, 2012: In this file photo, singer Kanye West, left, and girlfriend Kim Kardashian attend Gabrielle's Angel Foundation 2012 Angel Ball cancer research benefit at Cipriani Wall Street in New York. (Invision/AP/File)

The Confederate flag: a symbol of racism for some, but a fashion choice for Kanye West.

The rapper was spotted Saturday wearing a jacket emblazoned with the flag after being criticized for featuring it on merchandise for his current “Yeezus” concert tour, People reports.

In an interview Monday with Los Angeles radio station 97.1 AMP, West explained why the former flag of Southern states during the Civil War made its way into his merchandise.

“You know, the Confederate flag represented slavery in a way – that's my abstract take on what I know about it,” he said, according to People. “So I made the song 'New Slaves.' So I took the Confederate flag and made it my flag. It's my flag. Now what are you going to do?"

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