Kanye West says he wasn’t left speechless Thursday night during his appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! He just didn’t have time to answer host Jimmy Kimmel’s question.
The rapper took to Twitter Saturday to set the record straight, and to criticize “click bait” headlines about the interview.
During their one-on-one, Kimmel pressed West about his support for President Donald Trump. But when the conversation turned to Trump’s family separation policy for undocumented immigrants, West didn’t have much to say.
“You’ve so famously and so powerfully said ‘George Bush doesn’t care about black people,’ it makes me wonder what makes you think that Donald Trump does, or any people at all?” Kimmel asked.
Read More: Kanye West Gets Stumped When Asked If Trump Cares About Black People
West sat silently and stared off into space for three seconds. The awkward silence prompted Kimmel to jump in and say: “Why don’t we take a break…”
The exchange sparked countless headlines – including on this site – saying West was “stumped” by the question. But the rapper insists, that’s not what happened.
“On Jimmy Kimmel we had a great time having a dialogue. I’m reading that I was stumped by a question. Let me clarify the click bait. I wasn’t stumped,” he tweeted. “I wasn’t given a chance to answer the question.”
On Jimmy Kimmel we had a great time having a dialogue. I’m reading that I was stumped by a question. Let me clarify the click bait. I wasn’t stumped. I wasn’t given a chance to answer the question.
— ye (@kanyewest) August 11, 2018
In a second tweet, West said there was silence because he needed a moment to think.
“The question was so important I took time to think,” he added. “And then I was hit with the let’s go to commercial break. That interview showed strong personalities with different opinions having a civil conversation.”
The question was so important I took time to think. And then I was hit with the let’s go to commercial break. That interview showed strong personalities with different opinions having a civil conversation.
— ye (@kanyewest) August 11, 2018
Whether West was stumped or not, at least this interview went better than his appearance on TMZ.
Remember back in May when he was widely ridiculed for saying slavery was a “choice”?
