Kanye West is stirring up more controversy.
On Monday, the Yeezy designer hosted a surprise Yeezy Season 9 fashion show in Paris during which he wore a long sleeve black shirt with “White Lives Matter” written on the back.
According to Page Six, he gave a speech while wearing the shirt and bedazzled flip-flops. He referenced his ex-wife Kim Kardashian’s 2016 Paris robbery, his former manager Scooter Braun, the struggles he faced entering the fashion industry, and more.
“I am Ye, and everyone here knows that I am the leader,” he said. “You can’t manage me.”
He continued to address his recent fallout with Gap. “If felt like we were there just to be slowed down,” he said. “But there’s no slowing us down now. We have nothing to lose and only everything to gain. And I don’t want any of y’all to talk to me about pain.”
The models were also seen wearing shirts with the “White Lives Matter” slogan on the back, along with conservative commentator Candace Owens, who posted a photo with Ye backstage.
“Fashion has a tendency to be extremely classist, to say that if you weren’t pretty enough or didn’t have enough money…that you can’t afford this cut,” Ye said at one point during the show.
On his Instagram Story, Ye shared a message from Balenciaga creative director Demna Gvasalia denouncing boxes and labels.
Ye is known for his controversial fashion statements. He showed his support for Donald Trump during his presidency by wearing the infamous red “Make America Great Again” hat on numerous occasions.
On Sunday, West made his runway debut as a model during Balenciaga’s spring/summer 2023 show, modeling an all-black, combat-inspired look as he walked the muddy runway.
Social media weighed in on Ye’s controversial appearance. See some of the reactions below.