Trevor Noah Says He Wanted to Counsel, Not Cancel Kanye Amid Uproar Over Ye’s Use of Racial Slur

The "concerning behaviour" refers to the statements West made about his ex-wife Kim Kardashian and her new boyfriend his week. In a post on Twitter, the host of The Daily Show said he didn’t want to "cancel" the hip-hop star, but rather counsel him.

Twitter screenshot

His statement comes as Kanye West has been removed from the list of performers at this year’s Grammy Awards, Variety reported, citing a representative of the artist. According to the magazine, West’s representative received a call from the organisers of the show, who said that the rapper was suspended due to "concerning behaviour" online. The musician is nominated in five categories in this year's ceremony, including Album of the Year.

"Our sources say Kanye’s team isn’t surprised by the decision", Variety wrote.

The "concerning behaviour" refers to statements West made about his ex-wife Kim Kardashian and her new boyfriend, SNL star Pete Davidson, as well as a racist remark he made about Trevor Noah.

The latter criticised the musician’s “harassing” behaviour towards his ex-spouse amid their divorce.

"What she’s going through is terrifying to watch … What we’re seeing is one of the most powerful, one of the richest women in the world, unable to get her ex to stop texting her, to stop chasing after her, to stop harassing her", Noah said.

West responded by posting a picture of Noah, whose mother is from South Africa, and editing the lyrics of the famous song "Kumbaya", changing them to "koon baya", thereby including a racist term used to describe a black person who acts against the black community.

The post sparked waves of negative comments, with people chastising the musician for using the term, while Instagram suspended Kanye’s account for 24 hours.

Noah, who hosts this year’s Grammy Awards, said the remark broke his heart.

"You’re an indelible part of my life Ye. I don’t care if you support [former US President Donald] Trump and I don’t care if you roast Pete [Davidson]. I do however care when I see you on a path that’s dangerously close to peril and pain. You have every right to fight for your family. But you have to know the difference between that and fighting your family. I’ve woken too many times and read headlines about men who’ve killed their exes, their kids and then themselves", the presenter wrote.

As for the racist slur, Noah reminded West about the "biggest trick" racists ever played on black people – teaching them to strip each other of their blackness whenever they disagree.

"Tricking us into dividing ourselves up into splinters so that we would never unite into a powerful rod", the comedian wrote.

Last February, Kim Kardashian filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences. The two started dating in 2012 and tied the knot in 2014 in Italy. They have four kids - daughters North, 8, and Chicago, 4, and sons Saint, 6, and Psalm, 2.

Amid the divorce process, Kanye accused Kardashian of “kidnapping” their children, antagonising him, as well as of ignoring his parenting advice. He also made threats against her boyfriend Pete Davidson. Earlier this month, he released a music video where a playdough figure of him kidnaps and buries a figure of Pete Davidson alive.