Logic Explains Lyric About Kanye “Not Really Being That Voice” He Once Was
The day before Logic released his latest album, Everybody, he sent out a tweet praising one of his greatest musical role models, Kanye West.
Fans, of course, speculated that this meant West would be making a surprise guest appearance on Everybody, a la J. Cole on "AfricAryaN," but, as it turned out, Logic's tweet was actually an attempt to silence the rumor mill that he knew would start grinding away at his lyric about Kanye on standout selection "America."
George Bush don't care about black people / 2017 and Donald trump is the sequel so / Shit, I'll say what Kanye won't / Wake the fuck up and give the people what they want / Man it's all love but the youth is confused / Your music is 2020 but them political views / Is blurred I ain't trying leave ya name slurred / 'Cause honestly I idolize you on everything, my word / But I gotta say what need be said / 'Cause I ain't fuckin with that hat, with the colors that’s white and red / I know some people wish I’d act white instead / Say I’d use my pigment as a manifestation to get ahead
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Despite having already clarified the intention behind his "America" lyrics for Genius, in a newly-published interview with NPR, the Def Jam emcee made clear there is no "beef" between him and West, issuing a full explanation as to why he called out Kanye on "America":
"[In] 2005, Kanye West called out George Bush and said, 'George Bush doesn't care about black people,' " Logic says. "And that's how the community felt at that time, with what was going on with Katrina — it was horrendous. And you have Kanye, who dared to stand up and say how he felt. And here we are, 12 years later, and he's not really being that voice that we know him as."
Similar to how J. Cole "called out" Wale on "False Prophets," Logic calling out Kanye on "America" is the product of disappointment based on years of personal fandom and expectation. Now more than ever before, Logic wants to see the Kanye that put President George Bush on blast in 2005; the Kanye that spoke out against the government.
With rumors swirling that Kanye is holed up in Wyoming, plotting his next musical moves, let's keep our fingers crossed that he made time to press play on Logic's "America."
It's his America, too.