Ron Mexico
Superstar
http://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/lionel-ritchie-hits-out-kayne-5240173
Kanye West’s foul-mouthed performance at the Brits caused a headache for ITV bosses and shocked celebs at the bash – especiallymusic legend Lionel Richie.
He was angered by Kanye’s repeated use of the N-word as the rapper debuted new song All Day.Lionel – whose illustrious career took off in the late-1960s – hit out at the performance, adding that he did not believe the word should “become normal”.
Speaking after the show, he said: “Am I fan of the N-word? Not coming from the 1960s and 70s. Whereas the new world has embraced it.
“I don’t think it’s OK for a black man to use the N-word. I don’t like it – and I am a black man. I don’t think it should be said and become normal.”
Lionel, 65, smiled as he posed with me at the event at The O2 in South East London.But the singer, in the UK for a series of gigs, was not impressed with certain artists. He said: “Kanye is giving us the generation shock value. How he carries on for the next 10 years we will see.
“The music business is more attention driven, but you have to let it pass. Don’t even focus on it. Because what we have going on in the world is so over the top. I mean, who are we fighting?
“There is more hunger and famine in the world today than there was when we did We Are The World.”
Kanye West’s foul-mouthed performance at the Brits caused a headache for ITV bosses and shocked celebs at the bash – especiallymusic legend Lionel Richie.
He was angered by Kanye’s repeated use of the N-word as the rapper debuted new song All Day.Lionel – whose illustrious career took off in the late-1960s – hit out at the performance, adding that he did not believe the word should “become normal”.
Speaking after the show, he said: “Am I fan of the N-word? Not coming from the 1960s and 70s. Whereas the new world has embraced it.
“I don’t think it’s OK for a black man to use the N-word. I don’t like it – and I am a black man. I don’t think it should be said and become normal.”
Lionel, 65, smiled as he posed with me at the event at The O2 in South East London.But the singer, in the UK for a series of gigs, was not impressed with certain artists. He said: “Kanye is giving us the generation shock value. How he carries on for the next 10 years we will see.
“The music business is more attention driven, but you have to let it pass. Don’t even focus on it. Because what we have going on in the world is so over the top. I mean, who are we fighting?
“There is more hunger and famine in the world today than there was when we did We Are The World.”
