John Legend Reflects on Kanye West’s Downward Spiral, Pinpoints Turning Point

John Legend has shared his thoughts on when he believes Kanye West’s personal and public decline began.

The two musicians share a long and complicated history. West signed Legend to his label, GOOD Music, back in 2004 and played a key role in producing Legend’s debut album Get Lifted. However, their friendship gradually deteriorated, particularly after West’s political affiliations and controversial public behaviour. In 2022, Legend revealed that their falling out stemmed from political differences, stating that their bond couldn't withstand his former mentor's support for Donald Trump and his own presidential bid.

Now, in a new conversation with The Times, Legend has opened up further about West’s more recent conduct. He said that he never expected to see this version of him — the fixation on antisemitism, the anti-Black rhetoric. He also noted that it’s heartbreaking to watch how far he’s fallen.

Image Courtesy: Deadline

When asked what may have triggered this shift, the singer pointed to a pivotal moment in Kanye West’s life: the death of his mother, Donda West, in 2007. Legend said that there was a clear change after she passed. That’s when things started to go downhill, and it’s only gotten worse in the years since.

Legend also spoke fondly of their earlier years collaborating. He said that in the 2000s, Kanye was incredibly driven, full of vision, and wanted to uplift everyone around him. He had such creative energy and optimism. It’s both sad and shocking to compare that to who he is today.

West, now known as Ye, has remained in the spotlight for a barrage of deeply controversial actions this year. He’s posted a series of inflammatory messages on X (formerly Twitter), including retracting his previous apology to the Jewish community and openly identifying himself as “a Nazi.” At one point, he even posted “I love Hitler,” and went on to praise Elon Musk after the tech mogul was accused of performing a Nazi salute at a Trump rally.

In February, Ye sparked outrage by selling a white T-shirt emblazoned with a swastika, labelled “HH-01” — which many interpreted as a reference to the Nazi chant “Heil Hitler.” Shopify later pulled the item from his site, citing fraud risk rather than content concerns, though the company did condemn the product as “vile, disgusting and inexcusable.”

Also Read: Genshin Impact Leak Reveals Skirk’s Strong Synergy With Escoffier and Furina

Although Ye later claimed he had reconsidered his earlier stance and stated, “I’m not a Nazi,” the backpedal was short-lived. Not long after, more swastika-themed merchandise surfaced on his account.

Adding to the controversy, his album Donda 2 briefly appeared on streaming platforms in April before being swiftly removed. Around the same time, Ye joined Twitch, but his account was banned within minutes after he reportedly gave a Nazi salute and shouted “Heil Hitler” on stream.

Meanwhile, John Legend is preparing to hit the road later this month for a global tour marking the 20th anniversary of Get Lifted. The tour kicks off at Glasgow’s OVO Hydro on May 27.

--Silviya.Y