West appeared on TMZ Live this afternoon where he talked to Harvey Levin, and the team about a variety of topics, one of them being slavery and it was "a choice."

"When you hear about slavery for 400 years, that sound like a choice,” Kanye stated, leaving Levin and the rest of the TMZ staff confused. “You was there for 400 years and it’s all of ya’ll?” he questioned, leaving the live viewing audience and the in-house staffed stunned.

As West's plight for "free thought" went on he was challenged by Van Lathan, one of the most outspoken staffers at TMZ.

“I think what you’re doing right now is actually the absence of thought,” Lathan retorted. “Kanye, you’re entitled to your opinion… but there is fact and real life, real-world consequence behind everything you just said. While you are making music and being an artist the rest of us have to deal with these threats to our lives and deal with the marginalization that comes from the 400 years of oppression that you said for our people was a choice. Frankly, I’m disappointed, I’m appalled, and brother, I’m unbelievably hurt by the fact that you have morphed into something that’s not real. You gotta be responsible.”

Kanye apologized and tried to make amends, but the damage was already done. Check out the clip below.

 

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