Kanye West has once again ignited controversy with an explosive Twitter rant on Saturday moring, calling for the release of music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs while also taking aim at the Me Too movement.
The rapper’s rant, filled with inflammatory statements, sparked outrage across social media platforms.
In his tweets, West wrote, “Puff got me too’d So did I FREE PUFF Did Puff get me too’d cause of the fighting or because of the money? I never seen a broke n**** get me too’d.”He continued his attack on the movement, labeling it a “woke agenda,” adding, “Me too is a woke agenda.”
His most controversial statement came when he directly denied the legitimacy of sexual assault allegations made under the movement, stating, “You b****** were not raped Pardon me Lemme put this in Ye all caps YOU ME TOO B****** DID NOT GET RAPED YOU EXTORTED N***** N***** MEANS MEN B****** MEANS B******.”
West ended his rant with a message, “HERE COMES THE THREATS FROM UNKNOWN NUMBERS.”
He also shared a screenshot of a message he received with someone issuing a threat to him and his daughters. The post has, however, been taken down.
The tweets have drawn widespread backlash, with many condemning his remarks as deeply insensitive. It remains to be seen whether West will face further consequences for his latest outburst.
As far as Diddy is concerned, the rapper has pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking charges lodged against him after his September arrest. He remains incarcerated without bail, awaiting a May 5 trial.
Prosecutors said Combs used the “power and prestige” he wielded as a music mogul to intimidate, threaten and lure women into his orbit, often under the pretence of a romantic relationship. The indictment said he then used force, threats and coercion to cause victims, including the three women, to engage in commercial sex acts.
Earlier this month, defense lawyers said in court papers that the allegations described in the indictment were a “sexist and puritanical” reaction by prosecutors to consensual sex acts between willing adults.
They wrote that “the government’s theory perpetuates stereotypes of female victimhood and lack of agency.”
They said the government’s view depends on the characterization of the sex performances as “dirty, disgusting, or inherently unsavoury” and shows that the government “seeks to police non-conforming sexual activity and that it assumes — despite all evidence to the contrary — that a woman’s willing participation must have been coerced.”
