Kanye West has taken to Twitter to quash allegations that he made comments comparing himself to Nelson Mandela. “I’d like to address the false stories and noise that have been engineered by the media,” said the rapper in response to a parody article on satirical news website The Daily Currant that went viral.
West took to Twitter to set the record straight. “Despite recent media reports, I’ve never said anything to dishonor or trivialize the life or transition of one of the most inspiring leaders,” he wrote. “At a young age my mother taught me the importance of his work. Mandela sacrificed his life for the betterment of mankind.”
He then added, “Thank you, Mandela, for your life’s work and may it serve as a guiding light to illuminate our future.”
In the spoof article, entitled Kanye West: ‘I Am The Next Nelson Mandela’, West is quoted as saying all the accomplishments he’s made at the tender age of 36 leave him in good stance to take up the mantle from the former South African President and Nobel Prize-winning statesman.
“Nelson Mandela did a lot of good work, don’t get me wrong. But I think I’m on track to do something even bigger. I liberate minds with my music. That’s more important than liberating a few people from apartheid or whatever,” said the Currant article.
The story quickly went viral, with West facing a hefty online backlash as even South Africa’s daily newspaper, Times Live, reported the interview as real.
Nelson Mandela died on Thursday, 5th December in his Johannesburg home at the age of 95 after battling a long illness. The inspirational legacy left by this anti-apartheid leader is immortalised in the music inspired by his life’s work.
Details about West’s Yeezus follow-up are already starting to emerge, with the rapper revealing his next album may contain just eight tracks, and Q-Tip claiming he is producing the record with Rick Rubin.
By 95, I'll be a bigger hero than Nelson Mandela: Kanye West http://t.co/Elbb39jNmT
— Times LIVE (@TimesLIVE) December 7, 2013
