'he's rewarded'
Kanye West is ‘conveniently mentally ill when it serves his purposes,’ comic D.L. Hughley claims in shocking interview
KANYE West is "conveniently mentally ill when it serves his purposes," comic D.L. Hughley has claimed in a shocking new interview.
The comedian and actor accused , who has admitted to battling bipolar disorder, of using his mental health struggle to his advantage.
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D.L. - whose real name is Darryl Lynn - appeared on a virtual event for on Sunday to discuss his previous coronavirus diagnosis when he turned to Kanye's latest antics.
"I think I've been pretty clear. I think that Kanye West's mental illness is a big problem in our community," the 57-year-old comedian began.
"It's primarily a problem because of lack of access and lack of trust. There's a certain degree of mistrust between our community and the medical profession and our community in general, where we just don't trust people where the things that have been attributed to us, like strength, is suffering alone and working your way through it.
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"And we think we can pray everything away. So I do understand how devastating it has been to our community.
"But I think Kanye West, there is no doubt that he suffers from some level of mental illness, but it isn't why he's misogynistic, it isn't why he's disrespectful to our history.
"You don't have to be mentally ill to put an asterisk on slavery. And he consistently does it, whether it's Harriet Tubman when he denigrated her or whether he's talking about slaves, he's not so mentally ill they'll talk about any other group of people."
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The radio host further claimed: "He talks about people that he knows and gets away with it. And then he's not so ill that he is trying to be a disruptor in the political form.
"He's not so ill that he took $5 million in the PPP payments. So he seems to be conveniently ill when it serves his purposes. And I think he, to me, Kanye West is exactly like Donald Trump.
"So it would make sense that they're attracted to one another. They're both demigods, but you know, it's funny now, generally, when you talk, like when you say the things he does, you don't live in Wyoming on the red sprawling ranch, you live on an underpass and you rock around with signs and say, 'Jesus is coming, repent.'
"And people don't pray for you. They don't pray for you when you pray for somebody, you pray that they get help. They get access to help. He has the access and the wherewithal to help himself.
"So whatever he's going through, he could, if he could mitigate a great deal of it by accessing the help that is so readily available as many times as people pray for Kanye.
"And I think we should, as human beings, pray for each other, pray for people who can help this man. They are denigrated for who they are. He's rewarded.
"A lot of them were broken by what happened to him in their life. And I'm sure he's gone through tragedy too. We don't pray for them.
"He's rewarded for acting as they act. He even made money designing clothes to look like homeless, people in American bought it for hundreds of dollars. So while we're praying for people that can help their selves, let's save a little prayer for people that can't."
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D.L.'s interview comes just a day after sources told PEOPLE that after their Dominican Republic vacation.
A source said the couple had a "good family week" after heading out of the country
Another insider said Kanye is "really enjoying his family time right now", adding that the rapper is "in a great place and feeling creatively inspired."
The after their "make or break trip."
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and , who tied the knot in 2014, have had their martial issues under the spotlight since the hitmaker's first in South Carolina.
Kanye claimed that he and discussed aborting their daughter North, but changed their mind at the very last minute.
He said in his speech he originally “did not want" to have the child, and his star wife was ready to end the pregnancy, even holding "the pills in her hand.”
He claimed a message from God told him to call his then-girlfriend back and tell her: “We’re going to have this child.”
The source added: "Kanye has made it clear that he will continue to run for president. Kim is not happy about it, but this isn't her focus."
The father — who now shares four kids with Kim — sobbed at the end: "I almost killed my daughter!”
Along with 7-year-old North, the two are parents to son Saint, 4, daughter Chicago, 2, and son Psalm, 1.
During the week after his event, Kanye went on a Twitter rampage, where he for the past two years.
He also called Kris Jenner - Kim's mother - and the rest of the Kardashians and compared his life to the movie Get Out, where a white family controls a black man's life.
He later in sharing details about the almost abortion with the world, and tweeted: “I would like to apologize to my wife Kim for going public with something that was a private matter.
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A source exclusively told : "Kim thought that time away with the kids would remind him of his most important job - being their dad.
"She even offered to fully support a 2024 run for president if he got help and listened to the political consultants they hired.
"But Kanye seems set on what he calls 'God's plan' - that he becomes president. He's saying it's a higher calling."
The insider continued: "None of their friends can see the marriage lasting more than a couple of months if he ignores Kim and her requests and just goes ahead with what he wants, even if it upsets her."
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Despite their issues, the Skims founder .
Kim wrote: "As many of you know, Kanye has bipolar disorder. Anyone who has this or has a loved one in their life who does, knows how complicated and painful it is to understand.
"I’ve never spoken publicly about how this has affected us at home because I am very protective of our children and Kanye’s right to privacy."
The mother-of-four went on: "But today, I feel like I should comment on it because of the stigma and misconceptions about mental health.
"Those that understand mental illness or even compulsive behavior know that the family is powerless unless the member is a minor.
"People who are unaware or far removed from this experience can be judgmental and not understand that the individual themselves have to engage in the process of getting help no matter how hard family and friends try.
"I understand Kanye is subject to criticism because he is a public figure and his actions at times can cause strong opinions and emotions."
She added: "He is a brilliant but complicated person who on top of the pressures of being an artist and a black man, who experiences the painful loss of his mother and has to deal with the pressure and isolation that is heightened by his bi-polar disorder."
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The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star then seemed to discuss , as she declared that his ambitions are part of his "genius."
Kim wrote: "Those who are close with Kanye know his heart and understand his words sometimes do not align with his intentions.
"Living with bipolar disorder does not diminish or invalidate his dreams and his creative ideas, no matter how big or unobtainable they may feel to some. That is part of his genius and as we have all witnessed, many of his dreams have come true."
She concluded: "We as a society talk about giving grace to the issue of mental health as a whole, however we should also give it to the individuals who are living with in times when they need it the most.
"I kindly ask that the media and public give us the compassion and empathy that is needed so that we can get through this.
"Thank you for those who have expressed concern for Kanye’s well being and for your understanding. With love and gratitude, Kim Kardashian West."
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Other celebrities also joined Kim in asking fans to actually help support Kanye rather than make fun of him.
Halsey - who is also bipolar - expressed her disgust for those making fun of the rapper, while Jamie Lynn Spears - who supported her sister Britney during her own mental breakdown - .
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