Go to content

Kanye West sparks controversy by blaming George Floyd's death on fentanyl

Kanye West sparks controversy by blaming George Floyd's death on fentanyl
Image / © Cover Media

Kanye West has triggered another controversy by blaming George Floyd's death on the drug fentanyl.

During an appearance on Drink Champs that aired on Sunday, the rapper incorrectly claimed that Floyd died as a result of the synthetic opioid.

While referencing Candace Owens's new documentary, The Greatest Lie Ever Sold: George Floyd and the Rise of BLM, West commented:

"The day when he died, he said a prayer for eight minutes... They hit him with the fentanyl. If you look, the guy's knee wasn't even on his neck like that."

Floyd died after Derek Chauvin, one of four police officers who arrested him in Minneapolis, Minneapolis on 25 May 2020, knelt on his neck and back for nine minutes and 29 seconds.

Chauvin was convicted on two counts of murder and one count of manslaughter in June 2021 and was sentenced to 22.5 years in prison.

In addition, West alleged that Floyd "reminded" him of his late friend Virgil Abloh, who died at the age of 41 in November 2021 following a battle with cancer.

Elsewhere in the conversation, the hip-hop star called Drake "the greatest rapper ever" and claimed that his first episode of Drink Champs, which aired last November, was more popular than his ex-wife Kim Kardashian's October 2021 episode of Saturday Night Live.

He also stirred debate by comparing himself to Apple co-founder Steve Jobs.

"I'm more an imaginer, a visionary. I place the pieces of our culture together. Even right now, I want to bring joy and laughter," the 45-year-old continued.

Due to the controversial content of the interview, producers posted a disclaimer at the beginning emphasising that West's comments were entirely his own.

"All views or opinions expressed during the podcast are solely those of the individuals expressing such view or opinion and does not reflect the views or opinions of Sean Combs, Revolt Media & TV LLC, or their respective parent and/or affiliate companies," they wrote.

Subscribe to our newletter!
By subscribing, I agree to receive communications by email from Cogeco Média and its affiliates, including news, updates, activities and contests. You can unsubscribe at any time by using the link at the bottom of our emails or contacting us via our Privacy Policy. Please note, however, that we may still continue to send you service-related and other non-commercial communications. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Streaming will resume following advertisement.
The Beat 5@7 with Catherine & Cat
Live