Kanye West calls slavery a choice. Faces wrath of fans, celebrities on social media

Kanye West is in fresh trouble after claiming that 400 years of slavery means it was a choice made by black people.

Before the last one had a chance to simmer down, Kanye West caused another stir, calling American slavery a “choice” in an interview Tuesday.

Kanye West has been making controversial statements on Twitter for over a week. (REUTERS)

“When you hear about slavery for 400 years, for 400 years, that sounds like choice,” West said on TMZ Live after questions on his pro-President Donald Trump posts and pictures that caused a dust-up last week. “You was there for 400 years, and it’s all of y’all?”

“Do you feel like I’m thinking free and feeling free?” West asked the TMZ employees in the room.

“I actually don’t think you’re thinking anything,” TMZ’s Van Lathan quickly cracked back at West, as many would in the ensuing hours.

Symone D. Sanders, political commentator and CNN contributor, led the anti-West chorus on Twitter.

“Kanye is a dangerous caricature of a ‘free-thinking’ black person in America,” Sanders tweeted. “Frankly, I am disgusted and I’m over it. Also (I can’t believe I have to say this): Slavery was far from a choice.”

Others put it more briefly.

“Slavery wasn’t a choice,” Russ Bengtson tweeted, “but listening to Kanye is.”

West also told TMZ that he became addicted to opioids that doctors prescribed after he had liposuction surgery in 2016. He was hospitalized for a week and had to cut short his “Pablo” tour. West said the painkillers drove him to a “breakdown,” which became a “breakthrough” when he found himself again.

West also doubled down on his love of the president, which Trump has been returning in tweets.

“I just love Trump,” West said, adding that most in hip-hop agreed with him before Trump became president. “Trump is one of rap’s favorite people.”

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