Kanye West: 'Obama Was in Office for Eight Years and Nothing in Chicago Changed'

Kanye briefly turned his attention to Trump's predecessor on Wednesday.

Hours after showing support for Donald Trump, Kanye West turned his attention to former president Barack Obama; however, his words for 44 weren’t as flattering.

“Obama was in office for eight years and nothing in Chicago changed,” the rapper tweeted.

Trump previously suggested he has done more for racial minorities than Obama ever has, specifically citing the drop of unemployment rates after his first year in office.

There is a lot of debate surrounding who or what is responsible for the recent drop in unemployment; some believe Trump’s pro-business policies are responsible, while others have attributed the decline to Obama’s successful efforts to correct the economy following the recession. There is also a report published by Newsweek that reveals black students remained in high school much longer under President Obama, and, consequently, the workforce was much more educated.

'Ye didn’t get into specifics about what Obama did—or didn’t do—for his hometown, which is why many people have speculated he’s referring to the lack of improvements within black community. It’s also unclear if Kanye believes Trump has done anything to improve the violence within Chicago, an issue he reportedly discussed with POTUS during a 2016 meeting at Trump Tower.

It’s also important to note that Obama has been critical of Kanye in the past. In 2009, the then-president reportedly referred to 'Ye a “jackass” shortly after his infamous VMA stunt. Obama doubled down on the statement several years later in an interview with the Atlantic.

“He is a jackass,” Obama said. “But he’s talented.”

Latest in Music