Kanye West usually engages his mouth before his brain. Case in point: A recent negative review of his live show prompted a blog rant the likes of which hadn’t been seen since Courtney Love bought an iMac. But the “Stronger” rapper spoke truth to power when he publicly dissed George Bush during a 2005 benefit for Hurricane Katrina victims.
“I hate the way they portray us in the media,” he blurted to the camera, referring to the media at large. “You see a black family, it says, ‘They’re looting.’ You see a white family, it says, ‘They’re looking for food.’ … America is set up to help the poor, the black people, the less well-off, as slow as possible.”
As addled co-presenter Mike Myers did his impression of Bambi in the headlights, West brought it home: “George Bush doesn’t care about black people.” Cue dead air. — Charles Bottomley
