After one of his recent anti-semitic rants, Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, posted three photos of men who he considers “real ones.”
Along with photos of Brooklyn Nets point guard Kyrie Irving and Georgia Republican Senate candidate Hershel Walker, Ye posted a photo of ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith.
“It’s actually some real ones still alive that ain’t afraid no more I’m with you Time to build our own So the #redmedia can never control or diminish us again,” Ye wrote as the caption to the photo of Smith.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CkWunSzSNSy
Irving recently found himself in hot water for promoting a book/film that pushes anti-semitic tropes. Walker is well-known for his highly-controversial opinions and politically-charged statements.
Smith feels he doesn’t fall into the same category as these figures. He addressed the situation during the most recent episode of his Know Mercy podcast.
He put me in the same sentence as Herschel Walker, who’s running for the Senate seat in Georgia, and Kyrie Irving. Ladies and gentlemen, I’m not gonna disrespect anybody. Let me just say to you, that couldn’t be further from the truth.
I met Kanye one time in my life, don’t know him, don’t know Herschel Walker. And after last season, the way Kyrie Irving and I went at it, we’ll never speak again. And I won’t lose a speck of sleep over it. I wish him no harm, I wish him nothing but the best. But I am not in the same boat as them. Let me be very, very clear.
I am against antisemitism. I don’t applaud it. I don’t condone it. I don’t okay it. I have nothing to do with it. There are too many people in the Jewish community that I know and respect to ever disrespect them like that. And I’ve repeatedly told y’all this on many, many occasions. If I’m not Jewish, I don’t get to define what antisemitism is. They get to do that. Just like I don’t want somebody coming to me telling me what I should find offensive as a Black man. It’s not my place.
It’s pretty clear Smith isn’t too fond of this association.