*Kanye West has been a hot topic since adorning himself in the Confederate flag, warranting responses from folk like Al Sharpton and the national Action Network.
Shortly after announcing his line of tour merchandise blanketed with a symbol that carries a dark history, the civil rights leader called for the boycott of Kanye’s apparel.
When asked about his motives, in classic Kanye banter, he explained that like the forever long battle with the “n” word, he’s taking the Confederate flag back … when have Black people every “had” the flag?
“React how you want. Any energy you got is good energy. You know the confederate flag represented slavery in a way — that’s my abstract take on what I know about it. So I made the song ‘New Slaves.’ So I took the Confederate flag and made it my flag. It’s my flag now. Now what are you going to do?
“I just think people look cool in it. They look nice. And it’s colorless also. It’s super hood and super white boy approved at the same time. That’s really what my style has always been.”
And let the proliferation of ignorance begin.
Fellow rapper and G.O.O.D. Music signee, Q-Tip was not going to sit idly by and let the ridiculousness commence without a word from the wise.
His words: “F**k the confederate flag”
Well said.
“I love Kanye no shots, but my people continue to suffer psychologically from hardships that happened under that banner.”
Enslavement was an extremely dark time in the history of American-born African people. Though Kanye has his ideals about art and repurposing messages to move forward from the past, the fact is it can’t be changed. The flag continues to work out it’s symbolic dark presence today, menacing as it waves from the porch posts of American white families. Many places in the South some people of color will still avoid because of the lingering spirit of racism highly regarded with waving Confederate flags.
Is Kanye wrong? Can the Confederate flag be “repurposed?” And can fashion save Kanye’s message?
