Kanye West Says Classism Has Replaced Racism

posted October 22, 2013 

Kanye West questions whether or not he's put in scrutinizing situations when he attends various functions.

A newly-engaged Kanye West recently offered his thoughts on religion and the Illuminati, among other topics, during an interview with Wild 94.9′s The JV Show. In addition to the topics mentioned, West also shared his thoughts on classism, a subject he’s touched on before.

While appearing on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” earlier this month, the G.O.O.D. Music emcee declared that classism has now replaced racism, as he referenced former Food Network television host Paula Deen.

And during this week’s interview, the rapper further addressed classism as he commented on being put in Dinner For Schmucks-like situations while in various social settings. In the 2010 film, a group of higher-ups hold dinner parties where those invited are scrutinized and also ridiculed.

“But really what I didn’t know and I didn’t really understand this term until a couple of years ago, is it wasn’t about race, ,” West said. "It’s about class. And it was a classist move that even when you get invited to certain dinner parties, or even when you’re in certain magazines, it’s still like a Dinner With Schmucks situation. Are they inviting you to be a part of what you’re doing or are they inviting you to laugh at your teeth? And ask you a million questions like, ‘Oh, those are cool teeth. What’s that?’ And then also—and then we have our thing that every time we do it. We give ‘em the 'White Voice.' So, it goes both ways.”

While breaking down his thoughts on classism, West referred to the self-made billionaires of San Francisco’s Silicon Valley and warned of a shift in classism, a shift he says he’s at the forefront of.

“We’re right now in a crash of the classists,” the Chicago rapper said. “Because America being the newest country and especially out here in San Francisco where people can ‘bam,’ just become a billionaire off an idea…The shift is gonna change and I think I’m one of the people at the forefront because I had to fight to get into fashion shows eight years ago.”

During his past interview with Kimmel, which stemmed from the late night talk show host’s spoof of West’s interview with BBC Radio 1 and the rapper’s resulting Twitter tirade, West referred to those with “old money” as being unaccepting of a rap star regardless of their income.

“It’s not about racism anymore," he said. "It’s classism. Like Paula Deen, she was old school with it. They like, 'We don’t do it like that anymore, that’s racist. We classist now.' Classism is when they try to say, ‘You’re a rapper…your girl is on a reality show so you’re not up here with us. We’re old money.’”