Kanye West found himself in a tense exchange with a TMZ photographer during the Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony honoring R&B legend Charlie Wilson.
Wilson, who has collaborated with West on tracks like “Bound 2” from the 2013 album Yeezus, was being celebrated at the event. Stars including West and Tyler, the Creator, were in attendance on Hollywood Boulevard for the unveiling of Wilson’s star.
The confrontation arose when West, dressed in an all-black outfit that covered his face, was questioned by a TMZ photographer about his relationship with his wife, Bianca Censori. The photographer, filming on her phone, asked, “People want to know if Bianca has her free will. Some people are saying that you’re controlling her.”
West reacted by taking the phone from her hand and sternly addressing her questioning approach. “Why do you feel like it’s okay?” West challenged. “I’m a human being.”
“Do you think you can walk up on me like that?” he continued. “You think because you’re a white woman you can walk up on me like that and ask me some dumbass s*** like that? Ask me about my wife, talking about if she’s got free will?
“Are you crazy? Are you insane? This is America! Have you got free will, or do you work for the devil? You’re working for TMZ. I’m a legend, do you understand that? I’m here to support Charlie Wilson, and you come ask me some dumbass s*** about my wife. That’s my wife!”
West then questioned, “Was that a dumbass, disrespectful question to come ask a grown-a** superhero?”
After his outburst, West handed back the photographer’s phone.
While West clearly found the question “disrespectful,” there has been considerable media speculation about his marriage to Censori. Olivia Petter of The Independent recently commented, “Who really knows what’s going on with West, or with his relationship?” She noted West’s history of influencing his partners’ fashion choices, citing Kim Kardashian’s acknowledgment of his impact on her style and Julia Fox’s claims of feeling controlled by West.
@kanyewestdefenseteam Kanye West gets upset with Her after she brings up if “Bianca had freewill”. he then snatched the phone from her. #kanyewest #ye #kanyeisthegoat #kanyewestlover911 #foryoupage #foryou #fyp #yeezy #paparazzi #tmz
West has been embroiled in several controversies lately, including making and subsequently apologizing for antisemitic remarks last year.
