Kanye West and John Legend are no longer close friends, and apparently it’s all because of Donald Trump.
Legend, who got his big break in music thanks to his affiliation with West, has been butting heads with Ye for a quite while over his affiliation with the twice impeached 45th POTUS.
It all started in 2016 when Ye met with Donald Trump while he was still president-elect. Then after several back and forths over the years, the “All Of Me” crooner told The Axe Files podcast that he ultimately had to distance himself from his former G.O.O.D. Music brother.
“[Kanye and I] aren’t friends as much as we used to be,” John Legend told host David Axelrod. “I honestly think because we publicly disagreed on his running for office, his supporting Trump, I think it became too much for us to sustain our friendship, honestly.”
The singer had admittedly tried to amend things over the years. He had previously texted Ye when he first started rocking the MAGA hat in 2018, but was ultimately dismissed by the Yeezy mogul, who posted Legend’s private texts to social media in response.
“Don’t let this be part of your legacy,” Legend wrote in part. “You’re the greatest artist of our generation.”
Kanye replied: “I love you John and I appreciate your thoughts. You bringing up my fans or my legacy is a tactic based on fear used to manipulate my free thought.”
Still, Legend attempted to keep things amicable at the time, concluding the moment by writing in response: “Think freely. Think with empathy and context too. Your words and actions have consequences. Much love.”
But the former G.O.O.D. Music affiliate told Axelrod things took a turn when Ye hired one of Donald Trump’s lawyers to help his 2020 presidential run, which spurred Legend to speak out publicly against his former friend on social media.
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“I wasn’t alone in that, but, you know, he was not happy about that,” Legend admitted. “And we really haven’t been close since then.”
He continued by saying he understands Kanye has struggled with mental health issues but admitted that with him what you see is what you get.
“I think he’s been very open with who he is and his struggles with mental health,” he said. “And he’s very real, honestly. So I think there’s not a lot about him that people don’t get… Like he’s been pretty upfront with his opinions, his struggles, all the things that he’s dealing with. And I think what you see with him is pretty much what you get.”
John Legend and Kanye West were thick as thieves before this fallout. The latter helped produce Legend’s 2004 debut Get Lifted, and even released the record on his own G.O.O.D Music label. The pair went on to collaborate numerous times, the most notable collab being Kanye’s “Blame Game” on his highly-revered fifth studio album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.
Check out John Legend’s appearance on The Axe Files podcast above.
Clearly they were never friends.
John Legend is a sheep w no backbone. He cant even check his girl.
Nah it’s not that, you just a dick eater
Ummm didn’t kanYe tuck his chain when the beef came?? His backbone turned noodle…
It’s not BECAUSE of Donald Trump. Is because two people weren’t that close to begin with, because I Atilla love my friends and family to death that I disagree with politically. And “because of Trump” implies that it’s Trumps fault. No. It’s because of Kanye and John, it’s their friendship that isn’t strong.
I see the point u trying to make but under theses circumstances u or I can’t say they were never friends…bottom line? 1 got mad at the other for not supporting his political stance
Thays a fact. All I know is, my friends know I’m very conservative, but libertarian as well. One of my closest friends is pretty much a socialist commie. But we’re close none the less. We still respect each other, and can hate who each other like in politics. That’s a real friendship. We have each other’s backs for life!
it would be funny if a cool guy like legend totally got pissed. funny.
Two knuckleheads hating each other. Fantastic news.
Isn’t it sad people let politics get in the way of friendships. For me it shows a lack of emotional maturity. The “you either agree with me or we not friends” mentality. It just sounds childish. More and more people are behaving this way. You were never a real friend in the first place.
When your views and votes lead to the obstruction of somebody else’s personal freedom, yeah nah you can go f*ck yourself.
People say it’s just politics but politics is literally life, everything you do is the consequence of political decisions. I’m envious of your ignorance.
Besides, friends are based of situational circumstance – if we met at school, work or some other shit that I had to attend you were literally the best of a bad bunch I don’t owe you shit
Why do you occasionally use my name, even after I’ve posted comments here? Yous think you wpuld see my comment and use a different name.
You must be an extremely shallow person then. I disagree with my boys on many things. But I won’t dismiss them as friends. In life you have to do for self if you want to achieve. Too many people rely on the politics and bull. Always do your research when it comes to politics. Most don’t bother they vote because their family votes a certain way. But they cant figure out why nothing as gotten better. It would be a very lonely life if I just kicked people to the kerb. You make it in this world by putting in the work.
john legend includin his ugly ass wife are both the defintion of irrelevant. these need to stop drinkin baby blood
-irrelevant
Not even with politics….disagree with a so-called friend on a topic and peep the vibe afterwards :(that’s wh0 theY are)
So Kanye doesn’t want to vote for the same person as you and you say he has mental issues …this is what’s wrong with America
Buncha soft liberals in the comments