Rapper Lil Wayne declared racism dead on Tuesday, citing his white concertgoers as an example.
When asked by “Undisputed” co-host Skip Bayless about a predominantly white Westchester audience for which he’d once performed, the New Orleans native said it signified to him “there was no such thing as racism.”
“A lot of white kids love rap. Explain that. What does that say to you; what’s the message of it; what’s the bigger picture of it?” Bayless asked.
“I don’t want to be bashed, beacuse I don’t want to sound like I’m on the wrong if there is a side, but I thought that was clearly a message that there was no such thing as racism,” Wayne replied. “That’s what I thought that was. That was a perfect example.”
“When I’m coming out the bottom of the stage at my show … and I open my eyes, and I see everybody,” he added, “I don’t have this type of crowd or that type of crowd. My crowd has always been everybody, thank God.”
Weezy who last year was portrayed by country singer Jason Aldean sporting blackface offered a slightly more muddled assessment of American race relations earlier in the interview.
“I have never dealt with racism, and I’m glad I didn’t have to. I don’t know if it’s because of my blessings … but it is my reality,” he said. “I thought it was over; I still believe it’s over. But obviously it isn’t.”
When discussion turned to San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s ongoing national anthem protest against police brutality, Wayne demurred and said he didn’t know enough to voice an opinion, though he conceded, “I respect the man and his decision.”
Wayne also refuted widespread rumors of his retirement, which he stoked early Sept. 3 after tweeting, “I AM NOW DEFENSELESS AND mentally DEFEATED & I leave gracefully and thankful I luh my fanz but I’m dun.”
.@ComplexMusic Lil Wayne confirms that he’ll never work with Birdman again. #WeezyOnUndisputed pic.twitter.com/pgldVDZBOT— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) September 13, 2016
The rapper explained he’d simply been pushed to a “tipping point” by his ongoing feud with Cash Money Records CEO Birdman, who he sued last year for a reported $51 million in royalties.
“This was a tweet after an argument,” he said. “I have a family. I have kids. I have a mother. We got bills. This is business. So once the business is right, then everything is right.”
When asked by guest host Shannon Sharpe if he and his former pal would ever mend fences, Wayne replied with a simple “No, sir.”