Kanye West Slammed For Comparing Himself To Harriet Tubman — The Heroine Who Saved Slaves

After making controversial statements about slavery to TMZ, Kanye West tried to clarify by comparing himself to Harriet Tubman and using a misattributed quote to prove his “point.” Twitter let him have it.

Kanye West, 40, has been spouting some controversial opinions about slavery this week, and Twitter is SO done with him. After he appeared on TMZ and said that “slavery was a choice,” he tried to clarify what he meant on social media – but it, of course, didn’t go over well. He compared himself to abolitionist heroes Harriet Tubman and Nat Turner by saying, “if this was 148 years ago I would have been more like Harriet or Nat.” First of all, if you do the math he’s referring to the year 1870, which was five years after the 13th amendment formally abolished slavery, so not really sure what he’s going for here. But second of all, the comparison between himself and a woman who freed slaves and a man who led a slave rebellion rightfully infuriated the Internet.

“Who the f*** is educating Kanye on these historic facts he sounds like a 12 year old kid right now not a 40 year old man get him the f*** out of here,” one person tweeted. “It’s so arrogant of Kanye to dare to compare himself to Harriet Tubman or Nat Turner. ‘I would’ve been like them’ But you aren’t them now. You’re the court jester to the Princesses of Appropriation in the Kingdom of Calabasas,” said another.

But the comparison between him, Tubman and Turner wasn’t the end of this historically inaccurate rant. Kanye also tweeted, “I freed a thousand slaves I could have freed a thousand more if only they knew they were slaves. – Harriet Tubman” in an attempt to back up whatever point he was trying to make. But here’s the thing: Tubman never said that – which was largely pointed out by social media users. “Harriet Tubman didn’t say this dumbass,” one person responded. Another said: “so I guess instead of apologizing, Kanye is backing up “slavery is a choice” by using a fake quote invented by white supremacists and attributed to Harriet Tubman to justify slavery aka the most conservative response humanly possible.” A third person then tweeted out real quotes by Tubman that showcase the actual horrors of slavery. “Slavery is the next thing to hell…..and I prayed to God to make me strong and able to fight, and that’s what I’ve always prayed for ever since…..”  A real quote from Harriet Tubman @kanyewest.” 

Stay tuned for more Kanye rants because apparently this dude doesn’t know when he’s crossed a line.