The rapper wore a 'White Lives Matter' shirt at his Yeezy fashion show in Paris on Monday.
The list of people calling out Kanye "Ye" West after he was photographed wearing a "White Lives Matter" shirt at his Yeezy fashion show in Paris is growing, and it now includes Gigi Hadid, Jodie Turner-Smith, Vogue Magazine and his ex, Julia Fox.
The 27-year-old model and 36-year-old actress took to social media on Tuesday and directly called out the "Monster" rapper after his YZY SZN 9 presentation at Paris Fashion Week, in which several models wore shirts that featured the phrase. Right-wing pundit Candace Owens was also seen wearing a top with the phrase on it, as was West himself.
Hadid weighed in on Tuesday, running to the defense of Vogue contributing editor Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, whom West targeted on his own Instagram account after Karefa-Johnson expressed that "the t-shirts this man conceived, produced, and shared with the world are pure violence," adding that "there is no excuse, there is no art here."
West criticized the Vogue editor's own style in since-deleted Instagram posts, and that's when Hadid dropped a comment -- and did not mince words.
"You wish u had a percentage of her intellect. You have no idea haha," her comment read. "If there’s actually a point to any of your shit she might be the only person that could save u. As if the 'honor' of being invited to your show should keep someone from giving their opinion ..? Lol. You’re a bully and a joke."
For her part, Turner-Smith reposted several Instagram posts criticizing the rapper's fashion line, one of which expressed disappointment "that Kanye West used his incredibly large platform today to set us, as black people back centuries. After years and years of trying to educate others on the historical systemic racism we continue to endure. The racism that has claimed hundreds of thousands of innocent lives."
She also reposted Kanye's "When I said war I meant war" post and added her own thoughts, writing, "I thought he said he was trying to bring people together??? Fake and disgusting and embarrassing. Please go touch some grass and stop sharing your toxic thoughts."
On Tuesday, Vogue spoke out about the "bullying" their editor, Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, received from West.
Julia Fox, also took to social media to support Karefa-Johnson by posting an image of her on her Instagram story.
In videos online, the Donda rapper can be seen wearing the t-shirt as he recorded children -- including his daughter North -- walking around in a circle as they sang at the event.
Per the Anti-Defamation League, the phrase is considered a "hate slogan," crafted by White supremacists who co-opted the "Black Lives Matter" movement -- used by Black people protesting police brutality -- and reframed it.
It's unclear what statement West was aiming to make with these new t-shirts, but his relationship with race has long made headlines, with West -- a champion of former President Trump's MAGA campaign -- at one point supporting the Black Lives Matter movement just two years after claiming slavery was a "choice" during an explosive interview with TMZ.
West's decision to wear the shirt sparked major backlash from fellow musicians, public figures and fans who believe West has gone too far.
Jaden Smith took to Twitter not long after the show, sharing that he had to leave the event and that he wasn't feeling the 45-year-old musician and fashion designer's message.
"I Don’t Care Who’s It Is If I Don’t Feel The Message I’m Out," Smith wrote. In another tweet, he proclaimed, "Black Lives Matter."
Smith also called for a more "progressive" future as he slammed West as a leader within the fashion and music scene.
Author and activist, Marc Lamont Hill, also reacted, calling West's move "dangerous" and "irresponsible."
"Kanye West's decision to wear a 'White Lives Matter' shirt is disgusting, dangerous, and irresponsible. Some of y’all will rush to defend him. You should ask yourselves why…," Hill wrote alongside a pic of West in Owens in their matching tees.
Rapper Boosie BadAzz tweeted at West, calling him out for disrespecting Black people, while also throwing a subtle nod to West's infamous comments during a Hurricane Katrina relief telethon, in which West claimed former president George W. Bush didn't like Black people.
"AFTER ALL WE BEEN THROUGH AS A RACE YOU PUT THIS DISRESPECTFUL SH*T ON‼️ U GIVES NO F**KS ABOUT HOW BLACKS HAVE DIED N SUFFERED TO THE HANDS OF THE WHITE MAN😞 N U SAY BUSH DONT LIKE BLACK PEOPLE.. REALLY 'NI**A.'"
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