Kanye West raised some eyebrows on Sunday after calling for the abolition of the 13th amendment — which formally outlawed slavery in America after the Civil War.
“This represents good and America becoming whole again. We will no longer outsource to other countries. We build factories here in America and create jobs,” said West. “We will provide jobs for all who are free from prisons as we abolish the 13th amendment. Message sent with love.”
The post included a photo of West inside what looked like a private plane and prominently featured a MAGA hat, like the one he wore during his “SNL” performance on Saturday. West also posted the image to Instagram.
“Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction,” reads section 1 of the amendment.
this represents good and America becoming whole again. We will no longer outsource to other countries. We build factories here in America and create jobs. We will provide jobs for all who are free from prisons as we abolish the 13th amendment. Message sent with love pic.twitter.com/a15WqI8zgu
— ye (@kanyewest) September 30, 2018
It’s unclear if West meant to cite a different amendment, or whether he did, in fact, wish to reconsider the 1865 constitutional change. The musician did not immediately respond to a request for comment from TheWrap.
It’s not the first time West has opined about slavery in recent months. During an appearance on TMZ in May, he suggested that black slavery in America had been a “choice.”
“When you hear about slavery for 400 years … For 400 years? That sounds like a choice,” he told stunned interviewers. “You were there for 400 years and it’s all of y’all. It’s like we’re mentally imprisoned.”
West made headlines on Saturday after a MAGA-tinged performance on “Saturday Night Live” which included a rant to audience members after the NBC cameras cut the broadcast. In additional unscripted remarks, West said he had been “bullied” backstage at the show for his decision to wear the hat and slammed the media, which he said was “90 percent” were “liberal.”
He also defended his embrace of Trump, earning a round of boos.
“So many times I talk to a white person about this and they say, ‘how can you like Trump? He’s racist.’ If I was concerned about racism, I would have moved out of America a long time ago,” the rapper said.