US EditionJohn Legend Explains Why He Fell Out With Ex-Friend Kanye West
- John Legend, once mentored by Kanye West who signed him to GOOD Music in 2004, reflected on their fallout amid West's recent controversies in a May 10, 2025 interview.
- Their friendship deteriorated primarily because of public political disagreements, especially West's decision to run for office and support Trump, which Legend said made their relationship unsustainable.
- Legend expressed sadness over West's devolution, noting he never saw signs of West's later antisemitic and anti-black obsessions, and believed West changed after his mother's 2007 death.
- West’s antisemitic statements included calling himself a Nazi, selling a swastika T-shirt labeled "HH-01," and retracting apologies, while Legend said, "I didn’t see a hint of what we’re seeing now," on West's behavior.
- Legend plans a 20th anniversary tour for his 2004 debut album Get Lifted starting May 27 in Glasgow, showing his continued focus on music despite the strained past with West.
25 Articles
25 Articles
John Legend Says Politics is Part of the Reason His Friendship with Kanye West Ended
The friendship between John Legend and Kanye West dwindled in part due to their pair’s different political beliefs, the “All of Me” singer said in an interview with The Times published Saturday. “I didn’t see a hint of what we’re seeing now, his obsessions with antisemitism, anti-blackness, and it is sad to see his devolution,” Legend said of his former friend. While the singer believes that the death of West’s mother might have something to do …
John Legend Explains Why He Fell Out With Ex-Friend Kanye West
John Legend is looking back on his friendship — and fallout — with embattled rapper Kanye West. In an interview with The Times published Saturday, May 10, Legend said that West was a different person when the pair met in the early 2000s. “Back then Kanye was very passionate, very gifted, and he had big dreams not only for himself but also for all the people around him,” he explained.“He had so much optimism, so much creativity. It does feel sad,…
“Kanye’s Sad, Shocking Descent Came After His Mother Died,” Says Former Collaborator John Legend
John Legend says it is “sad, sometimes shocking” to look now at his former collaborator Kanye West, who played an instrumental role in Legend’s musical breakthrough 20 years ago. The pair worked together on Legend’s breakthrough album Get Lifted, with West handling the executive production as well as co-producing the album alongside Dave Tozer, will.i.am […]
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