T.I. Sounds off on Complex Relationship With Kanye West: ''He Kind of Needs a Translator''

"Whatever You Like" rapper talks about a recent four-hour conversation with Yeezy

By Meg Swertlow May 02, 2018 10:07 PMTags

Kanye West fired some major shots in recent days and is now under fire himself for his controversial pro-Trump tweets, yesterday's TMZ Live appearance and basically everything he's said in any way the past few weeks.

The tweet-happy rapper has definitely made more than a few foes for his statements—he's even gotten a "crip alert" after rapper Daz Dillinger encouraged members of the gang the Crips to "f--k Kanye up" in a video message, but there's one guy who's sticking by his side: T.I., who recently worked with him on the new collab "'Ye vs. the People."

The rapper chatted with Charlamagne Tha God, Angela Yee and DJ Envy on The Breakfast Club earlier today and talked about recording the track and his four-hour conversation with the "Black Skinhead" rapper. He told the hosts that it had been six or seven years since the two had sat down for a chat, but that's just what they did—talked it out.

Tip asked what was going on the with recent incendiary remarks and Kanye replied, "I just felt free to think whatever it is my mind leads me to think without some monolithic view of what society what's me to think."

T.I. also told the radio hosts that during the convo confronted the father of three about why he was wearing the Make America Great Again hat.

"Man, my subconscious spoke to my conscious spoke and told me to wear it," he said Kanye responded.

And there you have it!

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Kanye West's Most Outrageous Quotes
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Meanwhile, yesterday, the Atlanta rapper also sat down for a lengthy interview with Hot 97's Ebro in the Morning show and admitted while he doesn't agree with many of 'Ye's views, they're still on good terms.

In the interview, T.I. explained what he meant when he wrote on social media last week that he wasn't going to "give up on Kanye."

"I'm not [giving up], man," Tip restated. "We, as the black delegation, we can't afford to lose Kanye West. What you talking about, man? That's a catastrophic loss we're talking about! What are we going to get for that? Elton John? Hell nah. I'm not going for that. I've invested too much time."

The "Whatever You Like" rapper also said that while he believes Kanye's comments are more harmful than helpful, he does think that the performer has good intentions behind his message.

"I think he's a phenomenal talent of our generation that deserves to be heard and considered, no matter how preposterous it may be," explained Tip. "I disagree with it emphatically, but I can't take away from—first of all, we gotta realize this is Kanye West we're talking about. It ain't even maybe 1% of the people on Earth that speak the language of Kanye West."

T.I. continued, "The problem is the stuff that come in his head, when it actually come out his mouth and make its way to the air is totally different than it was in here. He kind of need a translator."

Tip also said that his conversation with 'Ye was an eye-opening experience and that he truly believed the hitmaker came in and continued to have an open mind throughout the hours-long talk. 

"I could see the real time epiphanies as I kind of asked questions that he had not given any consideration prior to," he confesses.

What do you think of T.I.'s take on Yeezy? Sound off in the comments!

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