Kanye West says 400 years of slavery was 'a choice'

In a shocker, rapper Kanye West in an interview with an entertainment website called African-American slavery that lasted for 400 years a matter of "choice".

As he spoke about the US President Donald Trump and the US rappercommunity’s love for him, Kanye also said, "When you hear about slavery for 400 years ... for 400 years? That sounds like a choice.”

He quickly added, "We're mentally imprisoned” before moving on to another topic.

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As he wrapped up the interview, Kanye was interjected by a black member of staff at the company, Van Lathan. He said, "You're entitled to believe whatever you want, but there is fact and real-world, real-life consequence behind everything that you just said. We have to deal with the marginalisation that has come from the 400 years of slavery that you said for our people was a choice.”

Van added, "I'm appalled, and brother I am unbelievably hurt by the fact that you have morphed into something to me that isn't real."

As the issue gathered steam on social media, Kanye took to Twitter to clear his stand and wrote: “The reason why I brought up the 400 years point is because we can't be mentally imprisoned for another 400 years. We need free thought now. Even the statement was an example of free thought It was just an idea.”

In a series of tweets, he defended his stance and wrote about the real meaning of his statement. He added: “to make myself clear. Of course I know that slaves did not get shackled and put on a boat by free will.”

As per history, black people were forced to leave their homes in Africa and were brought to the US during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries to be sold as slaves.