Don Lemon and Kanye West exchanged public messages on social media Monday following Lemon’s attempted interview with the rapper as he arrived to the Grammy Awards red carpet.
The feud began with a since deleted post from West, who now goes by Ye, saying that Lemon — who he called a “goofball” — started a rumor that Ye and his wife, Bianca Censori, were kicked out of the Grammy Awards on Sunday night.
Ye and Censori’s arrival made waves when Censori took off her black coat to reveal a completely sheer dress without underwear. Rumors later swirled online that the couple had been escorted out because they were not invited, though this proved untrue.
Lemon responded to West’s post with a video. “First of all, Kanye, Yee, Ye, whatever your name is — I did not start a rumor about you being kicked out of the Grammys,” he said. “I actually corrected it. I saw someone on your team who asked me to correct it because it had been reported everywhere. First of all, get your shit straight.”
Laughing, he then continued: “You, of all people, calling me a c—? Negro, that Make America Great Again hat must be too tight on your head.”
On the red carpet before Censori’s reveal, Lemon tried to approach Ye and Censori for an interview, asking the singer, “the number one artist you want to put on right now?”
The rapper replied by saying “give me a second I’m focused,” and then walked away.
Photographers at the Grammys were instructed only to refer to West a Ye, and security asked that the pool step back 6 inches before their arrival. West was nominated at the ceremony for best rap song for “Carnival” alongside co-writer Ty Dolla Sign; together they perform as the hip-hop duo known as ¥$. The award ultimately went to “Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar.
The Hollywood Reporter reached out to Lemon and West for further comment.
