Kanye West’s spiral into controversy continues to fracture his oldest friendships, with John Legend now openly condemning the rapper’s descent into hate speech and erratic behavior.
In a recent interview with The Times, Legend reflected on West’s transformation with a mix of disbelief and sorrow. Once signed to West’s GOOD Music label and considered part of his inner circle, Legend now views the artist as a cautionary tale.
“He had so much optimism, so much creativity,” he said. “I didn’t see a hint of what we’re seeing now—his obsessions with antisemitism, anti-Blackness. It’s sad to witness his devolution.”
The Grammy-winning singer didn’t stop there. He suggested the shift began following a deeply personal tragedy: the 2007 death of West’s mother, Donda West.
While careful not to diagnose, Legend observed a turning point. “We’re not qualified to psychoanalyze him,” he said. “But after his mother passed, there was definitely a difference. His descent started then and seems to have accelerated recently.”
Their once-close relationship fractured in 2020 when West launched his failed presidential campaign. Legend, who publicly supported Joe Biden, says West took the disagreement personally.
“He was very upset with me for not backing him,” Legend explained. “That caused a strain in our friendship. Whether he gets past it is up to him.”
West has publicly addressed the rift himself. In a 2022 appearance on Drink Champs, he accused both Legend and Big Sean of disloyalty.
“When I ran for office, they got used quick by the Democrats to come at their boy,” West said. “That’s some sell-out shit. I don’t rock with either of them.”
His comments didn’t stop there. West singled out Big Sean, another former GOOD Music signee, with particular venom.
“The worst thing I ever did was sign Big Sean,” he said on the same show. “I already decided that when I die, my tombstone’s gonna say, ‘I deserve to be here because I signed Big Sean.’”
He continued, saying, “I know this man’s mama. I’ve changed his family. And both John Legend and Big Sean got used. They turned on the man who changed their lives.”
The fallout has been public, messy, and deeply personal. For years, West built a reputation as a visionary unafraid of pushing boundaries.
But that image has been eclipsed by a series of inflammatory statements and broken ties. Once hailed as a generational genius, West now finds himself alienated from the very artists he helped elevate.
Legend and Big Sean are just the latest in a long line of collaborators who’ve distanced themselves from the rapper.
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