Watch Kanye West Address Racism, Violence in Stirring Freestyle
Kanye West headlined Hot 107.9’s Birthday Bash at Atlanta’s Philips Arena Saturday night, and the rapper used his performance to address racism and violence in the wake of the Charleston, South Carolina church shooting. In a stirring two-minute freestyle over a somber piano melody, West repeated “Don’t let them make you believe that I’m crazy, I’m not crazy” before steering the rap towards more topical matters, MissInfo.TV reports.
“See that’s the magic of racism, it works on itself / We hate each other, screw each other, kill each other / When we can’t kill nobody else,” West said before continuing, “See that’s the magic of lack of resources, it works on itself / 500 niggas getting pop-pop-pop-pop-pop-pop-popped, and North Carolina didn’t help / See that’s the magic of racism, it works on itself.”
West’s Hot 107.9 performance also included a rendition of “Mercy” featuring Atlanta native 2 Chainz; on Instagram, the B.O.A.T.S. II: Me Time rapper also revealed that he and West hit an Atlanta studio together, though no other details were shared.
After wrapping up at the Philips Arena, West and OutKast‘s Big Boi and Andre 3000 celebrated by hitting up a nearby Waffle House, resulting in a more joyous photo than West’s post-Coachella Waffle House experience.
West will next head off to London for his June 27th headlining performance at the Glastonbury Festival. “I think he’ll create an incredible show. What he’s talking about at the moment is very exciting,” Glastonbury organizer Emily Eavis told NME of the rapper’s performance. “I think he’s going to take it big. I can’t say anything – I can’t give anything away!”