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Hans India
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hans India
John Legend reflects on Kanye West's decline: ‘It's shocking to see where he is now'
Grammy-winning jazz musician John Legend has expressed his sorrow over the dramatic transformation of his former friend and business partner, rapper Kanye West. Speaking candidly in an interview with The Times of London, Legend shared his shock at how West, once a prolific and passionate artist, has evolved into a figure defined by controversy and divisiveness. Legend reminisced about their early days together, recalling how West was a visionary with a boundless sense of optimism and creativity. '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,' Legend said. 'He had so much optimism, so much creativity. It does feel sad, sometimes shocking, to see where he is now.' In the mid-2000s, West played a pivotal role in turning around Legend's career. After being turned down by multiple labels, Legend was signed to West's label, GOOD Music, in 2004. The partnership not only gave Legend exposure but also allowed him to witness firsthand the meteoric rise of West, who was already making waves with his production on Jay-Z's The Blueprint and his own solo albums like The College Dropout. Legend explained how the success of The College Dropout, which sold 400,000 copies in its first week, turned the tables for both of them, making Legend a sought-after artist in his own right. However, despite their professional achievements, the two friends drifted apart after a public falling-out in 2022, when West voiced his support for former U.S. President Donald Trump. While Legend had hoped for a resolution, he never anticipated the further escalation of West's behavior, particularly his recent embrace of harmful ideologies. '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 admitted. He speculated that the passing of West's mother in 2007 marked a turning point in his life, with a noticeable shift in his behavior that has only accelerated in recent years. As the world watches Kanye West's increasingly controversial public persona, John Legend's reflection offers a somber look at the downfall of a once-promising artist who once inspired hope and creativity.
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Kanye West fires back after John Legend calls his behavior ‘sad': ‘I have disciples or enemies'
Kanye West and John Legend Once hailed as one of hip-hop's most dynamic duos, Kanye West and John Legend have reached a new low in their fractured relationship. What began as a creative partnership steeped in mutual admiration has morphed into open estrangement, marked by sharp words and bitter reflections. John Legend, in a recent interview with The Times, opened up about his long and complicated history with West, expressing sorrow over what he believes is a dramatic shift in Kanye's personality. Legend who was among the first to sign with Kanye's GOOD Music label in the early 2000s, recalled Ye's early days as a visionary brimming with energy and artistic innovation. 'He had such hope and drive,' Legend said. 'It's difficult to watch the way things have turned out.' Legend reflects, Kanye responds with cryptic message Legend didn't shy away from addressing Kanye's recent controversies, from antisemitic statements to online rants. He noted that much of Kanye's erratic behavior appeared to intensify following the tragic loss of his mother in 2007. 'There was a clear change after that,' Legend admitted, though he cautioned against making psychological judgments. Kanye, now known as Ye, didn't mention Legend directly but seemed to issue a pointed response via social media writing, 'At this point I got disciples or rivals.' The post, brief but cutting was widely interpreted as a reaction to Legend's comments. The statement reinforced Ye's growing detachment from those who once supported him, framing his world in increasingly black-and-white terms. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The Most Remarkable Oscar Outfits Ever Interesticle Undo Kanye's isolation continues to grow The unraveling of Kanye's friendship with Legend mirrors the broader collapse of his public standing. Following a wave of backlash due to offensive comments and controversial posts, including disturbing praise for Adolf Hitler and remarks about domestic violence, Ye has been dropped by major brands. According to the above-stated portal, the ripple effects have extended into his personal life as well. Sources close to Kim Kardashian revealed she is working with legal advisors to distance herself and protect their children amid Ye's increasingly alarming behavior. A painful ending to a powerful era The collapse of Kanye and Legend's bond is not just a celebrity feud—it marks the end of a creative brotherhood that helped define early-2000s music. What was once a friendship grounded in shared ambition and artistic synergy has been swallowed by ideological divides and personal turmoil. Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
John Legend on Kanye West: ‘It Is Sad to See His Devolution'
John Legend has opened up about his falling out with Kanye West in a new interview, and speculated on the event that 'accelerated' his former friend and collaborator's 'descent.' Following a pair of self-released albums at the onset of his career, Legend received a major boost after signing with West's GOOD Music; Legend's major appearance was a feature on Slum Village's West-produced 'Selfish' in 2004, the same year Legend's first LP Get Lifted arrived on GOOD Music, largely produced by West. More from Rolling Stone Kanye West Lasts Three Minutes With Piers Morgan, Storms Off After Stupid Dispute Over X Followers Kanye West to Sue Dentist for Allegedly 'Fostering' Nitrous Gas 'Dependency' Despite Himself, Kanye West Almost Made a Half Decent Album '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,' Legend told The Times UK. 'He had so much optimism, so much creativity. It does feel sad, sometimes shocking, to see where he is now.' Legend and West later teamed for the latter's 'Blame Game,' and GOOD Music released Legend's first studio albums, through Darkness and Light in 2016. However, it was in that same year that West's support of Donald Trump emerged, which first sparked the rift between the two artists, with the pair falling out for good in 2022. '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. However, Legend added that he believes West's downfall can be charted back to the death of the rapper's mother Donda nearly a decade before Trump's first presidency. 'I don't think we're qualified to psychoanalyze [West], but after his mother passed in 2007 there was definitely a difference,' Legend told the Times UK. 'His descent started then and seems to have accelerated recently.' Best of Rolling Stone The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
John Legend Says It's ‘Shocking' to Watch Kanye West's ‘Descent' into ‘Antisemitism' and ‘Anti-Blackness': ‘It Is Sad to See His Devolution'
John Legend is sharing his thoughts about his former friend and business partner, Kanye West. In a recent sitdown with The Times of London, Legend said it's 'shocking' to see what has become of the once prolific artist and mourned the days of friendship and shared passion he had with West back in the mid-2000s. More from Variety Kanye West Storms Off Piers Morgan Interview After Four Tense Minutes; Rapper Rants About 'Being Attacked by the Banks' and 'My D--' Kanye West Releases Lost Album 'Donda 2' to Streaming Services Kanye West Sued for Copyright Infringement by Singer Who Denied Sample Usage Over His 'Antisemitic, Racist' Remarks '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,' Legend recalled. 'He had so much optimism, so much creativity. It does feel sad, sometimes shocking, to see where he is now.' West saved Legend's fizzling music career back in 2004 when he signed the Grammy-winng pianist to his label, GOOD Music. As one of the brand's first artists, Legend got to see the rise and fall of West first hand. 'Kanye blew up after producing Jay-Z's album 'The Blueprint' in 2001,' Legend explained. 'Then he experienced a buzz as a solo artist and the whole time I was travelling with him, doing shows with him, getting exposure not only as his singer and keyboard player but also as an artist myself. I had been turned down by labels everywhere. Then 'The College Dropout' sold 400,000 copies in its first week, everyone wanted to know what was happening in our camp, and all those people who turned me down suddenly decided that my music sounded a lot better than it did the first time round.' Despite their falling out in 2022 after West went public with his support of Donald Trump, Legend still did not expect things with West to escalate as far as they have. '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. 'I don't think we're qualified to psychoanalyse him, but after his mother passed in 2007 there was definitely a difference. His descent started then and seems to have accelerated recently.' West was once one of the most celebrated artists in hip-hop, but has lost that status after exhibiting aggressive antisemitic behavior. Back in February, West took out a bizarre advertisement in the Super Bowl for After the ad aired, he overhauled the site and replaced his previous wares with a swastika t-shirt. In the same month, the rapper's X account was suspended after going on an antisemtic tirade, writing things like, 'I'm a Nazi,' and claiming that Hitler was 'so fresh.' Most recently, the artist released a new single called 'Heil Hitler,' with art that resembles a swastika. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival
Hindustan Times
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
John Legend expresses shock over Kanye West's ‘sad devolution', blasts ex-friend for ‘antisemitism and anti-blackness'
John Legend expressed his views regarding Kanye West, his former business partner and friend. Calling the rapper's latest moves as a 'sad devolution' from the buoyant artist he once knew, Legend expressed shock over what has happened to the formerly prolific musician in a recent interview with The Times of London. Legend opened up about the start of their personal and professional connection, saying that 'Kanye was very passionate, very gifted, and he had big dreams not only for himself but also for all the people around him.' 'He had so much optimism, so much creativity. It does feel sad, sometimes shocking, to see where he is now,' Legend continued. In 2004, West signed the Grammy-winning pianist to his company, GOOD Music, saving Legend's waning musical career. The two, however, became estranged after West expressed support for Donald Trump in 2022 and started expressing his extremist views. Legend, who was among the brand's original artists, witnessed West's ascent and decline firsthand. Also Read: Kanye West stuns fans with explosive rant against Kim Kardashian, says he 'should've had babies with…' In the interview, Legend slammed West's 'obsessions with antisemitism and anti-blackness,' adding that he feels sad to see his devolution. One of the most recent issues with West is the release of a song called Heil Hitler (Hooligan Version), which parodies an Adolf Hitler speech from 1935. West shared the song and a clip of shirtless men donning animal fur on his X (formerly Twitter) account. The song ending includes a speech from lyrics defending Hitler's conduct and requesting approval from his audience. In the song, West mentions to his custody dispute with Kim Kardashian in the song and attributes his radicalization to the incident. He raps, 'So I became a Nazi, yeah b***h, I'm the villain,' conveying his rage at his bank accounts being frozen and his kids being taken away from him. While refusing to comment on the song, Legend suggested that West's mother's passing in 2007 may have marked an important turning point in his mental and emotional decline. 'I don't think we're qualified to psychoanalyse him, but after his mother passed in 2007 there was definitely a difference. His descent started then and seems to have accelerated recently.'
