Kanye West put on a spectacle for his fans in Sacramento, California Saturday night (November 19), reportedly performing three songs, bringing out Kid Cudi, going on another extended rant that took shots at people and organizations across a broad spectrum and then cutting the show short after about 30 minutes.
The erratic performance came only days after Kanye’s last politically fueled tirade, where he proclaimed his support for president-elect Donald Trump.
Bringing Kid Cudi out for an emotional moment of reconciliation, the two hugged it out on the floating stage as throngs of people watched from below. Cudi and Kanye’s relationship went through some turmoil in September, ahead of Cudi checking into rehab for depression.
Kanye then went on a lengthy rant, veering from topic to topic and occasionally pausing to address the crowd’s increasing boos.
Here are some key points, divided by topic. Watch the full rant below.
On Obama
“Obama couldn’t make America great. Because he couldn’t be him to be who he was. Black men have been slaves. Obama wasn’t allowed to do this [yells] and still win. He had to be perfect. But being perfect don’t always change shit, bruh.
On Beyonce
“Beyoncé, I was hurt, because I heard that you said you wouldn’t perform unless you won video of the year over me and over ‘Hotline Bling.’ Now, don’t go trying to diss Beyoncé, she is great. Taylor Swift is great. We are all great people. We are all equal. But sometimes we be playing the politics too much and forgetting who we are just to win. Fuck winning. Fuck looking cool. Fuck being cool. Fuck all that, bro. I’ve been sent here to give y’all my truth even at the risk of my own life. Even at the risk of my own success, my own career. I’ve been sent here to give y’all my truth.”
On Jay Z
“Jay Z, call me, bruh. You still ain’t call me. Jay Z, call me. Hey, bro, Jay Z, I know you’ve got killers. Please don’t send them at my head. Just call me. Talk to me like a man.”
On Equality
“I’m not trying to be the man, I’m just a man. The same as everybody here. I ain’t above or below none of y’all. We all equal. This is the vibes, bruh. This is the future. This is the way of thinking to make America great again.”
On Feelings
“You don’t like that. Guess what? Y’all need the vibes. I was hurt. Feelings matter, bro. The way muthafuckas put money up so high. Popularity. Radio spins. Feelings matter, bruh. It’s a new world, Hillary Clinton. It’s a new world. Feelings matter. Because guess what? Everybody in middle America felt a way, and they showed you how they felt […] It’s a new world Barack. It’s a new world Jay Z. Hey, don’t send killers at my head, bro, this ain’t the Malcolm X movie. We’re growing from that moment. Let ‘Ye be ‘Ye.”
On Drake & DJ Khaled Getting Radio Play
“Is it just me or did you hear that song so many times—you say you wanna play “For Free.” Aye, aye. You know what it is, though? Because aye, I love Drake. I love Khaled. But they set that song up, bro. … Khaled, I know you got hitters from Miami. Please do not send them at my head. I just want to have a conversation about how we playing radio’s game. Khaled, you a real nigga. Khaled, you a real nigga. You got the keys.”
On Fake Truth
“I ain’t here to massage you with the fake truth, telling you that Hillary going to win over and over and over. Then you wake up and you still can’t believe it. You know why? Because you was lied to by Google. You was lied to by Mark Zuckerberg.”
On Mark Zuckerberg
“Mark Zuckerberg, you wanna call me now? Do I got the vision, Mark Zuckerberg? Was you wrong? When I said I was $53 million in debt and you didn’t call me, was you wrong? You ate dinner, you asked my friend Ebony Schiller to have dinner with me. I told you about Donda. You said you would help and you didn’t. Then you went to look for aliens. Me and Kid Cudi are aliens right here, bro.”
On Change
“There’s a Richard Pryor interview that you can watch about people coming into power and not changing anything, just becoming a part of the power. That’s happening with musicians because they’re scared. I’m not scared. I’m here to change things. I am here to change things. Things won’t change until people admit they own falsehoods. I got the vision, bruh. That is what I’ve been blessed with. My vision. I’m not always going to say things the perfect way. I’m going to say it how I feel. Right now, press, get ready to write your passive aggressive, LeBron James, racist comments. Season four racist comments. Get ready to have a field day, press. Get ready. Get ready. Because the show’s over.”
Post-concert reaction
Fans (including members of the Sacramento Kings) were left in shock.
Watch the 17-minute video of Kanye’s rant in Sacramento below.
Miss the old Kanye? Check out DX’s latest Breakdown about the topic here.
Unbelievable!!
KK effect.
I will never fuck with Kanye again
Dont know whats worse. The Kanye rant or that Kudi crawled back to Kanye after he disrespected him in front of the World and took credit for his work. Anyway, someone needs to knock Kanye from his high horse
kanye is a bitch and always has been, the fuck you expect from a bitch? He was a good producer at one point, now all he does is whine..hope he gets hit by a truck at his next gig.
Man fuck Kanye he trying too much
Saw this coming back in the College Dropout days. Went to Denver, CO for the weekend and was in attendance for the “College Dropout” tour back in 2004-ish and midway through the show he shouts “Thank you, Seattle!” and everybody booed in which he replied “Y’all can’t boo me. I saved Hip Hop!” Never seen a venue empty out so quickly in my life. True story.
The Life of Pablo saved my life. Thank you Kanye West, the god of Auto-Tune and thank you Young Thug! swag
is he going to be like this until jay z call him? jay… call him NOW! just give him a short call, this been WAYY too annoying.
Lol.. what’s crazy is he said HOV called him but he moving wanted HOV to come by the crib and let the kids play together Kanye need some Prozac and a beeper he’ll be just fine
Go ahead, hate, criticize and ridicule a mans rights of free speech, opinions and his thoughts on something.. “Lets stop the bullshittin’ Til’ we all without sin, let’s quit the pulpit-ing, c’ mon! This is that ignorant shit you like. Nigga” Jay -Z
Right to free speech? More like right to dry snitch on Jay, and what he may or may not be able to have done. One of the most disloyal people supporting another disloyal person (Trump). Made a switch and turned bitch.
Why are you so sensitive? Don’t bring loyalty up when defending killary.
Ever heard of jill stein you fucking simpleton
That all u can do is think its all about trump + Clinton. Every Trump hater supports Clinton in your ignorant ass world.
Bold statement guy, idk what it is but I can see you tried hard to make it. Yeah I’ve heard about them? What about them?.. FACT: A “hip hop” site isn’t the best place for politicking..
Ever heard of jill stein or Gary Johnson you fucking simpleton
That all u can do is think its all about trump + Clinton. Every Trump hater supports Clinton in your ignorant ass world.
HipHopDX be late AF to post some news don’t they? lol This story been all over the internet, from the moment I woke up this morning, obviously before that. Any you’re just now posting it? Does the entire DX Staff sleep in on Sundays or something
Kanye going through psychosis. He got “visions” and he is paranoid cuz he thinks nigga Jay Z and nigga Khaled want to kill him.
Kanye is spiritually awaken. He got opened his third eye, he preaching absolute truth, but not awakened souls can’t understand him.
Kanye had maybe 2 good albums, he was a good producer circa blueprint era…dude fell off mad hard…facts.
I’ve been saying this for years. Dude ain’t had a hot album since 2005 and does all this ranting and shit because it keeps him in the news. The people acting like he’s some deep soul are the funniest though. Some people are always looking for somebody to believe in even when those people are crazy.
Ladies and Gentlemen, this is what happens when a well known artist feels himself a little too much.
Salute to Kanye for going against the left’s false narrative force fed to young blacks by sell out politicians, and sell out musicians.
When a head case like Big Boogie thinks you a headcase haha You must be out of your head.
LOL!
Kanye definitely took Flakka before that concert.
Kanye needs to quit crying like a bitch I’m not going to get my way if jay z doesn’t call me Kanye your making your fans look bad your making jay z look bad and your making rap music look bad retire for good and hang it up
Cocaine’s a hell of a drug..
I agree but poor Kan he is depressed for years he might be gay or something like cocaine but Kan got problems he need to see a doctor for real before the kid Kanye go crazy, he did put that thing with Kid Codi right and that’s good. He feels it his rain in the charts is over like lil wayne 50 cent Jay-Z and all the other non sailing out music
Yeah, on some real shit, his mother’s death played a major part in changing his ways.
No! Kanye was acting like this way before his mother pass away. I Know several record executives in the industry and artist managers that told me stories about this clown that goes back to 1998. I heard about the Def Jam incident and everything.
Aint nun wrong with what kanye said there. Thats how he feel
Maybe ye had to leave after what he just said???
yup.. people don’t understand . they oblivious to what he really talking about.. l people with a real message are the first to get dismissed as crazy . do homework . HE’s abou the truth .. like John lennon like bob marley .. like MJ, like Prince . If you hear the crowd they rather hear him sing his songs than listen to the Secrets he is spilling on the Elite .. that why all of a sudden ” He’s crazy” according to the MSM. LOOK BEYOND WHO HE IS .. Listen to what he is saying.. he really put his career on the line to tell us whats really going on ..
I used to be one of those ppl that backed him and just said he was misunderstood or ahead of his time, This guys is an asshole and I’m done with him. Its getting to the point where its embarrassing to even call yourself a fan.
“On Feelings” lol
Opinions are like assholes, everyone’s got one, but some are shittier than others … I believe Kanye was speaking the absolute truth here,no bullshit, and that is why no one understands what he means
Basically was trying to say industry is bull, full of puppets along with politicians. But people dont want to know the truth
Ye is right about that Drake / Khaled track tho, that song was being played once every 15min.
Lol ppl sayin Fu*k radio but really on the drive home the same station on