John Legend perfectly broke down why Kanye’s support of Trump is problematic in an epic text exchange

After months of silence, Kanye West has resurfaced on Twitter and the rapper is definitely stirring the pot. While Kanye started by tweeting cryptic, somewhat philosophic declarations, things took a turn for the controversial when the rapper announced his support of President Donald Trump. Many Twitter users were quick to point out how dangerous Trump’s presidency has been for marginalized groups, and even John Legend addressed Kanye’s support of Trump.

The backlash began after Kanye tweeted yesterday, April 25th, that he and Trump both share a “dragon energy” and that he considers Trump his “brother.”  The rapper later shared a selfie in a MAGA hat, further inspiring Twitter’s ire. Legend was among those pointing out the flaws in Kanye’s views, posting a Twitter thread in which he argued that Trump’s campaign had promoted white supremacist ideals. And on April 26th, the debate continued when Kanye shared a screenshot of a text exchange between himself and Legend, revealing that Legend had directly urged the rapper to think critically about his Trump alignment.

“I hope you’ll reconsider aligning yourself with Trump,” Legend wrote in one of the texts. “You’re way too powerful and influential to endorse who he is and what he stands for.”

The singer continued by writing that many of Kanye’s fans had been disappointed by the rapper’s new declaration of allegiance, and he urged Kanye to consider how this would affect him in the future.

"So many people who love you feel so betrayed right now because they know the harm that Trump’s policies cause, especially to people of color," Legend continued in the text. "Don’t let this be part of your legacy. You’re the greatest artist of our generation."

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And although Kanye’s response made it clear that he didn’t agree with Legend’s assessment of his views, there were no hard feelings. In a followup tweet to the shared screenshots, the rapper wrote, “I really appreciate this dialogue with John Legend,” and continued by defending himself as “very empathetic” despite his support of MAGA. false

I really appreciate this dialogue with John Legend because I'm actually very empathetic. Im still the kid from the telethon. I feel when people think of MAGA they don't think of empathy.

— ye (@kanyewest) April 26, 2018

While these texts might not change Kanye’s mind, Legend’s point about Trump is an important one, and we’re glad to see him making it in public. Above all else, it’s refreshing to see that two people who disagree politically can still have a respectful dialogue.