Kanye West (legally Ye) appeared on Fox News' "Tucker Carlson Tonight" for a nearly two-hour interview following his controversial "White Lives Matter" t-shirt appearance with Candace Owens at Paris Fashion Week. The wide-ranging conversation covered West's pro-life advocacy (symbolized by his ultrasound lanyard), Christian identity, support for Donald Trump (which he claimed resulted in threats to his career and life), criticism of the Kushners (particularly Josh's 10% stake in SKIMS), political ambitions (including potential collaboration with Elon Musk), conflicts with Kim Kardashian over their children's education and her public image, media critique (introducing the concept of "BLM managers" like Barack Obama), skepticism toward pharmaceutical companies, and defense of his mental health against public scrutiny. Carlson concluded by portraying West as "worth listening to," though within weeks,
On October 6, 2022, American rapper, fashion designer, and entrepreneur Kanye West (legally Ye) appeared on Fox News program "Tucker Carlson Tonight" for an extensive interview that gained significant media attention. The interview, which extended to nearly two hours despite being initially scheduled for 30 minutes, occurred immediately following West's controversial appearance at Paris Fashion Week, where he and conservative commentator Candace Owens wore "White Lives Matter" t-shirts that sparked widespread criticism in fashion and media circles. Tucker Carlson introduced West as a multifaceted cultural figure—highlighting his success as a musical artist, his fashion design career, his former connection to the Kardashian family, and his emerging role as a Christian evangelist.
The reason for the interview was West's decision to wear a "White Lives Matter" t-shirt at Paris Fashion Week in early October 2022. This appearance generated immediate and intense criticism from fashion industry insiders and media outlets. When questioned by Carlson about his motivation, West described the decision as intuitive rather than calculated, stating it came from "a feeling" and "a gut instinct, a connection with God." When pressed for specific meaning, West offered a direct explanation: "Because they do. It's the obvious thing."
West referenced his father's reaction to the shirt, noting that his "educated ex-Black Panther" father found humor in it, viewing it as "a black man stating the obvious." He criticized the fashion industry's coordinated response against him, specifically mentioning reactions from figures he identified as "Gabby" (likely Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, a Vogue editor) and model Gigi Hadid, suggesting they would not have commented negatively without approval from Condé Nast and Anna Wintour. West characterized the backlash as "a setup" designed to portray him as "bullying" what he termed "a body-positive black woman," adding that it came amid his efforts to distance himself from corporate relationships with Adidas and Gap.
Throughout the interview, West consistently emphasized his Christian identity and pro-life position as central to his worldview. He appeared wearing a lanyard featuring an ultrasound image, which he explained represented life and symbolized his opposition to abortion. When asked about public reaction to this display, West stated: "I don't care about people's responses. I care about the fact that there's more black babies being aborted than born in New York City at this point. That 50% of black death in America is abortion."
West repeatedly framed his decisions through a religious lens, stating, "I perform for an audience of one and that's God." He compared his experiences to biblical figures, particularly David facing Goliath, suggesting God had prepared him "for such a time as this." West expressed his belief that abortion represents a form of genocide against the Black community, claiming Planned Parenthood was "made by Margaret Sanger, a known eugenics with the KKK."
His religious expressions extended to his vision for social reform, including a concept he called the "Dondastery" (named after his late mother Donda West), which he described as a monastery-like institution combining "different disciplines" to provide healthcare, shelter, food, education, and vocational training as an alternative to abortion services. West positioned faith as central to addressing societal problems, stating, "God is alive and is alive in all of us."
A large portion of the interview focused on West's support for former President Donald Trump, which he claimed resulted in severe professional and personal consequences within his industry. According to West, "Every single person in Hollywood from my ex-wife to my mother-in-law to my manager at that time to my so-called friends/handlers around me told me if I said that I like Trump, that my career would be over, that my life would be over." He described being threatened for wearing a MAGA hat, claiming people told him he could be killed for such expressions.
When Carlson asked why he supported Trump, West responded: "Come on, man, Trump's the shit. What do you mean? He has his own buildings. What are you talking about? He's like Ralph Lauren. He made Ivanka." He suggested that conservative values "line up" with his own perspectives and praised Trump for wanting "nothing but the best for this country."
West also discussed interactions with Trump administration figures, including having dinner with Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, and Josh Kushner. However, he expressed criticism of the Kushners, particularly regarding Josh's investment in SKIMS, the shapewear company West developed with Kim Kardashian. He claimed to have discovered that Josh Kushner owned 10% of the company while he only owned 5%, suggesting the Kushners might have been "holding Trump back" and characterizing them as more interested in financial gain than public service.
West expressed political ambitions of his own, stating, "I will eventually be president before, you know, in my lifetime." He suggested that as president, he would collaborate with Tesla CEO Elon Musk, whom he described as "a great team player," to create a "simplified life" and address major societal problems. He emphasized the importance of having "all of our living, super brilliant people" advising the administration, comparing this approach to ancient Roman practice of gathering intellectual leaders.
West spoke about his relationship with Kim Kardashian and his struggles for paternal influence following their separation. He expressed frustration about his limited role in their children's education, noting they attend a school that "teaches black kids a complicated Kwanzaa" but doesn't teach Christmas traditions. West stated, "I have to act a complete ass to have any say-so of anything that my children are doing," suggesting institutional forces were aligned against paternal involvement.
He discussed specific parenting conflicts, including disagreements with Kardashian over their daughter North West's basketball coaching. West shared his efforts to remain involved in North's athletic development, emphasizing the importance of teaching her to "protect our family" and "our company."
Drawing parallels to his own childhood, West claimed his father was separated from him because "my mom was an actress, so she was a liberal," and people "got around my mom and pulled her away" when his father tried to assert different parenting approaches. He suggested many men face similar challenges with "the mother and the baby mama and the mother-in-law ganging up to take the child away."
West also criticized what he perceived as inappropriate influences on Kardashian, saying "Kim is a Christian, but she has people who want her to go to Interview Magazine and put her ass out while she's a 40-something-year-old multi-billionaire with four black children." He expressed concern about the sexualized imagery used in marketing SKIMS, stating he "had a lot of issues with the imagery" that he "wouldn't want to see my wife and definitely not my daughters doing in the future in order to sell product."
West offered extensive criticism of media structures and cultural influences, introducing the concept of "BLM managers" (Black Lives Matter) whom he described as "semi-influential black person[s] to become the face of a white company." He suggested companies like Nike function primarily as cultural influencers rather than profit-maximizing businesses, stating Nike exists "as an influencer, because black people love Nike."
In discussing former President Barack Obama, whom West knew personally, he characterized him as "the best [BLM manager] ever," suggesting that Obama, while "truly black to their core" and "brilliant," attempted to "do it the white way as a black man" and suffered consequences as a result. West noted, "We saw what color Obama's hair was when he went in, and we saw what color it was when he went out," drawing parallels between Obama's experience and that of late fashion designer Virgil Abloh, who West claimed "lost all his hair" before his death.
West criticized media portrayal of body image, particularly regarding obesity. When discussing musician Lizzo, he stated that "the media wants to put out a perception that being overweight is the new goal when it's actually unhealthy," calling the promotion of unhealthy lifestyles "demonic." He connected these issues to his trainer Harley Pasternak, noting that Lizzo works with the same fitness professional but faces criticism when she loses weight.
West also addressed the influence of entertainment on cultural values, referencing the Disney film "Encanto" and the song "We Don't Talk About Bruno," which he suggested contained messaging promoting unrealistic relationship expectations. He positioned himself against what he termed indoctrination from major media companies, stating, "For the Disney guys, you know, you might not believe in God, but God believes in you."
West expressed skepticism toward conventional medical establishments and pharmaceutical companies, stating, "We've been getting killed in hospitals for years. Grandma and Mom don't come out." He connected this to broader concerns about food quality ("They're killing us through the food"), content consumption, and social programming, suggesting these are interconnected problems affecting Black Americans in particular.
When discussing the COVID-19 pandemic, West made connections between media coverage of the pandemic and school shootings, particularly the Uvalde, Texas shooting that Matthew McConaughey had spoken about. He suggested there was a "coordinated message" across "78 specific outlets that influence," while comparable violence in Chicago received less attention. When asked if this perspective approached conspiracy theory territory, West asked, "Have I reached Alex Jones' territory yet?"
West proposed alternative approaches to healthcare and social organization, suggesting pharmaceutical companies could invest in local farms to reduce pesticide use and subsequent disease, potentially increasing their profits while improving public health. He emphasized the need to "rethink who we are as a species" and focus on family welfare, stating, "Put the families first."
Throughout the interview, West addressed public perceptions of his mental health, expressing frustration at being dismissed as "crazy." He stated, "It hurts my feelings when people say that," and questioned the appropriateness of others asking if he's "okay," particularly coming from less successful individuals whom he described as acting "like they're a doctor."
West suggested that the constraints placed on his expression—particularly being unable to voice support for Trump—were what actually affected his mental well-being: "It drove me crazy to not be able to say that I liked Trump." Carlson framed this section as West's "remarkable answer" to questions about his "very public struggles with manic behavior," with West suggesting that "the life I was being forced to live was driving me crazy."
Addressing his unconventional communication style, West acknowledged, "I give these, like, three-part answers," and asked if his conversational format worked for Carlson. He positioned his unique perspective as valuable, stating, "I am your true Nikolai Tesla. And I'm not even a scientist," suggesting his creative thinking could solve major societal problems if given proper attention.
Carlson concluded the interview by characterizing West as "not crazy" and "worth listening to, even if you disagree," suggesting that West is "getting bolder" and likely to remain a significant cultural voice. The interview represented one of West's most extensive public statements during a period of increasing controversy surrounding his behavior.
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Tucker Carlson interviews Kanye West October 2022
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Kanye West FULL INTERVIEW with Tucker Carlson (PART 1 & 2) - YouTube
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