In a drawn-out interview about his Grammy performance–not the one where he sang–Kanye West tried to clear up what he meant when he said Beck should “respect the artistry” of Beyonce. Turns out West didn’t mean that at all. Actually, West thinks this: “I think it came off the wrong way, and that was a mis-wording on my part because obviously Beck is one of the most respected artists and respects artistry.”
More strikingly, West dispelled the notion–popular among pundits afterwards–that his protest had largely to do with race. (Beck, who won, is white; Beyonce is African-American–in case anyone in the world needs those facts cleared up.) West shot that argument down. “It’s not a black or white thing at all,” he said. “It’s not me always standing up for a black artist. I feel that racism is a distraction to humanity. We are one race. We are the human race, period.”
