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Watch Kanye West And Donald Trump Talk ‘Long-Time Friendship’ Can Kanye Bridge Racial And Political Divides? [Opinion, Video]

By Charisse Van Horn
Published on: 08:18 PST, Dec 13, 2016

https://youtu.be/XsOO_NACP7w

There may be more to those surprising pro-Trump rants Kanye West delivered on stage shortly before entering a hospital for exhaustion than meets the eye. USA Today was quick to point out Kanye’s new blonde locks after being released from the hospital. Although West hasn’t made many public appearances since his hospitalization, he spoke to the press on December 13, 2016, after meeting with President-elect Donald Trump. According to statements made by both Kanye West and Donald Trump, the two have enjoyed a long-time friendship. You may hear their full statements regarding their meeting in the video player above.

[Image by Drew Angerer/Getty Images]

E! News exclusively reported that Donald Trump offered Kanye West a position in some type of ambassador role. Does Donald Trump have plans for Kanye West to bridge the racial divides between those who align themselves with the Black Lives Matter movement and white conservatives? Donald Trump is certainly full of surprises, and the people who’ve recently visited Trump Tower to talk with the future president come from a variety of backgrounds and hold various political ideologies.

Here is a report from E! News.

“The ‘Jesus Walks’ rapper met with Trump to discuss becoming an ‘ambassador of sorts,’ a source close to West tells E! News. The source adds that Trump is interested in getting West involved in an ‘entrepreneurial leadership role.

As for how the meeting came about, the insider tells us that Trump’s team reached out to West. ‘Trump thinks he’s a great role model when it comes to business,’ the insider adds.”

Kanye West is a bit of an enigma for the black community. He and Jay Z go back to the 90s with Jay Z’s company Roc-a-Fella records, where West was a producer. It seemed that Jay Z and Kanye West had a friendship etched in stone, one that was built on a mutual love and respect for hip-hop, African-American culture, and black rights. Over the years, it became clear that there was trouble brewing, and though Jay Z, Beyonce, Kanye West and Kim Kardashian were viewed as friends, they do not appear that way today.

[Image by Christopher Polk/Getty Images]

In the middle part of November, Kanye West was on his “Saint Pablo Tour” and continually stopped midway in many shows to speak to the audience. These videos have gone viral and include Kanye West speaking about his support for Donald Trump (though he says he didn’t vote) as well as his views regarding Beyonce and Jay Z. You can hear the audience becoming extremely vocal during one of Kanye’s speeches below. It was clear that Kanye West was trying to bridge the difference between the political sides.

Check out the video playlist below for more of Kanye West’s speeches and rants during his “Saint Pablo Tour” that led up to his hospitalization.

Warning: The video contains explicit language.

https://youtu.be/lAin15lq1nQ

The media had a field day and everyone had an opinion regarding Kanye’s speeches. Wendy Williams was among many who described his behavior as crazy.

https://youtu.be/p3zw_BfQMbo

Many Kanye West fans found it shocking that the man who once grabbed a microphone from then country music artist-turned-pop singer Taylor Swift, declaring that Beyonce deserved the VMA, would turn against her publicly.

[Image by Christopher Polk/Getty Images]

Kanye West has long been the subject of controversial statements and actions, but only since his November 2016 hospitalization did people give credence to the idea that he is mentally ill. Many people believe that Kanye West had a nervous breakdown and suffered from psychosis, as reported by TMZ, and is possibly bipolar. Will this current opinion about Kanye West help or hurt his credibility should he be given a position in the Trump cabinet? Can Kanye West bridge racial divides and heal political differences?

Remember the flack Beyonce received for her Black Panther ode “Formation” during the 2016 Super Bowl? You can see the video below. The lyrics sparked controversy among conservatives who felt it promoted violence against police. Some police forces refused to provide security for Beyonce, and a Miami police union called for a boycott of her shows, according to a report by CNN.

https://youtu.be/L_Hgh7sPDLM

Additionally, the song “Formation” drew ire with many in New Orleans who couldn’t agree whether it was a tribute to those who perished during Hurricane Katrina or exploited the “Bounce” music and culture that originated in New Orleans. Beyonce and her team were even accused of stealing footage for the video, according to a report from Vulture.

Beyonce is not without her share of controversy, but when the time came to support a presidential candidate, no one had to think twice which side Jay Z and Beyonce were on. Apparently, they are not on the same side as Kanye West. While Jay Z and Beyonce were performing last minute concerts for Hillary Clinton, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West were dealing with the aftermath of a Paris robbery that reportedly left Kim Kardashian in a shattered emotional state and suffering from possible PTSD. Not soon afterwards, Kanye would take the stage and vocally express support for Donald Trump. The reception was terrible and soon Kanye West was hospitalized for exhaustion.

At first glance, one might think that Beyonce and Jay Z would be the best ambassadors for the black community when selecting from a lineup of celebrities. Beyonce and Jay Z are close friends with the Obamas, traveled to Cuba in 2013, according to CNN, are outspoken Democrats and fundraised for Hillary Clinton. It doesn’t seem likely that anything would make Jay Z or Beyonce switch sides and suddenly became fans of Donald Trump. As Beyonce and Jay Z are viewed as role models for black, liberal Democrats, could Kanye West become viewed as a role model for conservative or Republican African-Americans?

According to the video above, Donald Trump and Kanye West have been friends for a long time. While there is heavy speculation regarding the nature of Kanye West and Donald Trump’s visit, Kanye West spoke about the visit on his official Twitter page. He stated that he met with Donald Trump to discuss multiculturalism issues, violence in Chicago, teacher wages, bullying, and more. He also stated he believes in having a direct line of communication with President-elect Trump in order to effect change.

West is married to Kim Kardashian, whose stepfather underwent a gender transformation. Bruce Jenner, the Olympic athlete, became Caitlyn Jenner, an outspoken Republican, according to Time. It’s interesting to note that many in the LGBT community took issue with Caitlyn Jenner’s remarks that she is a Republican. Similarly, Kanye West is under fire for showing support for Trump.

While Kanye West hasn’t publicly stated he’s a Republican, his affinity and kindness toward Donald Trump comes at a time when civil sympathies toward the president-elect simply aren’t exhibited. Let’s not forget Kanye West’s statements regarding George Bush not caring about black people during a Hurricane Katrina fundraiser. It might be that Kanye West simply doesn’t judge people by the political party they adhere to, but rather on an individual basis.

People are seemingly either on Trump’s side or they are actively trying to prevent him from becoming president after the December 19, 2016, electoral college vote. What is interesting is that Kanye West and Caitlyn Jenner have both expressed public support for Republican causes and/or Donald Trump. Both Kanye West and Jenner seem to have some things in common on the political spectrum.

There was a time when Jay-Z, Beyonce, Kim Kardashian, and Kanye West were photographed in public together, attended fashion shows together, and were viewed as close friends. One can only imagine how these friendships are handling one side being pro-Clinton and the other pro-Trump. While Beyonce faced her fair share of criticism for “Formation” does that pale in comparison to the outcry Kanye West has faced for vocalizing his support for Donald Trump? Just meeting Donald Trump has caused many fans to turn away from West.

What we see in America is a country completely divided by not only race but politics. Trevor Noah had conservative host Tomi Lahren on his show, and audiences were split on who won the debate. Some slammed Tomi Lahren and praised Trevor Noah for “putting her in her place.” Others hailed Tomi Lahren as a champion of conservative values and claimed she brought the white light of truth to Noah’s claims she was misunderstanding the Black Lives Matter movement.

Both sides were equally happy that their spokesperson won until they found out that Noah and Lahren had drinks together. While Noah stated the drinks were with both of their teams and was in a business environment, many freaked out at the thought that Noah and Lahren could maintain a personal friendship or something more in lieu of their political differences.

The controversy continued after Tomi Lahren shared a photo on Twitter saying Trevor Noah sent her cupcakes. Others seem to view the idea of a friendship or personal relationship between Trevor Noah and Tomi Lahren as a way to bridge American divides. Even Trevor Noah stirred controversy with a series of tweets that offended Jews and women, according to Rolling Stone. While some accuse Trevor Noah as being a sell-out, others suggest the two should date.

Trevor Noah has been under fire for the interview and has continually found the need to defend himself for having a conversation with someone of a different political ideology.

Will we ever see Beyonce and Kim Kardashion hanging out at a fashion show together again? Will Jay Z and Kanye West hang out during the 2017 Super Bowl? Are these friendships damaged beyond repair because one supports Clinton and the other supports Trump?

No matter what people call Kanye West, he has bravado. Standing side-by-side with Donald Trump, speaking to the press and the two publicly acknowledging their friendship takes a lot of guts. It probably takes a lot of energy, too.

Maybe Kanye West really is exhausted. Maybe he’s a black conservative Republican who has supported Donald Trump from the get-go and is tired of the flack and negative remarks.

Do you think Kanye West should accept a position in Trump’s cabinet if offered? Do you think he’s strong enough to face the backlash and can bridge differences between racial and political divides? And let’s not forget Kanye West’s promise to run for president in the future. Will his friendship with Donald Trump open the door to a political career? Although Kanye West previously stated he would run in 2020, it seems he’s expecting Trump to have an eight-year term and plans to run in 2024.

[Featured Image by Drew Angerer/Getty Images]

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