COLUMBIA, S.C. — Rapper Kanye West, in his first event since declaring himself a presidential candidate, ranted against historical figure Harriet Tubman on Sunday, saying the Underground Railroad conductor “never actually freed the slaves, she just had them work for other white people.” The comments drew shouts of opposition from some in the crowd.
West delivered a lengthy monologue, touching on topics from abortion and religion to international trade and licensing deals, before a crowd in North Charleston, South Carolina. Whether he is actually seeking the nation's highest office remains a question.
Fans and Twitter users expressed a variation of awe, frustration and concern after his comments Sunday.
Tubman is one of the most respected figures of 19th-century America. An African American who escaped slavery, she helped enslaved Black men and women travel north to freedom and fought for the Union during the Civil War. She later became a supporter of women’s suffrage.
On abortion, West said that while he believes it should be legal, financial incentives to help struggling mothers could be a way to discourage the practice.
“Everybody that has a baby gets a million dollars,” he said as an example.
Wearing a protective vest and with “2020” shaved into his head, the entertainer spoke before a crowd in North Charleston. According to a livestream of the event, it appeared that several hundred people had gathered in the venue, where gospel music played before West’s appearance.
The event was reportedly for registered guests only, although a campaign website had no registration or RSVP information.
Speaking without a microphone, West became tearful at one point while talking about his mother, who died after plastic surgery complications in 2007.
On Monday, South Carolina election officials announced West did not receive the required number of signatures to qualify in the state.
West has missed the deadline to qualify for the ballot in several states, and it’s unclear if he is willing or able to collect enough signatures required to qualify in others. Last week, he qualified to appear on Oklahoma’s presidential ballot, the first state where he met the requirements before the filing deadline.
West, who is married to reality television star Kim Kardashian West, initially announced his candidacy July 4. According to a TMZ report Monday, after his comments and display of emotions at Exquis Event Center in North Charleston on Sunday, his family and friends are reportedly alarmed and concerned for his mental health.
West announced two weeks ago he was running for president on the “Birthday Party” banner.
Last week, the producer filed a statement of candidacy documents with the Federal Election Commission, according to a report by TMZ. On Wednesday, he filed a statement of organization for the campaign, which denoted that the Kanye 2020 committee would serve as the hip-hop legend’s official principal campaign team.
“This afternoon, we received a properly executed statement of candidacy for Kanye West, along with the appropriate filing fee in lieu of petition,” Oklahoma State Election Board officials told KOCO 5. “Kanye West is now qualified as an independent candidate for president of the United States in Oklahoma and will appear on the general election ballot.”
On July 4, West used his Twitter account to profess his intention to run for president. It was unclear if he hoped to be a third viable contender for president against President Donald Trump or former Vice President Joe Biden, but he did hashtag his tweet about the presidential run with “2020VISION.”
"We must now realize the promise of America by trusting God, unifying our vision and building our future. I am running for president of the United States," West tweeted.
West, who has said in the past he supports Trump, has spoken on various topics that face U.S. citizens that he would like to see changed by legislation and leadership, including rectifying that there is a disproportionate number of Black people in the prison system and the imbalance of wealth in America.
Previously, West in a news conference proudly touted why he would be an ideal candidate in 2024. His statements were met with some laughter at the time.
West had attempted to get his name on the ballot as a third-party candidate but needed to collect 132,781 signatures by July 15 in order to be eligible to run in Florida. He still has an opportunity to qualify in a number of other states.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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