There was a time both Kobe Bryant and Kanye West were dominating sports and entertainment and even collaborating for commercials. Since that time, Bryant has retired from the NBA, had two of his jersey numbers retired by the Los Angeles Lakers and won an Academy Award for a short film. West, meanwhile, has made his biggest headlines by suggesting to TMZ in May that slavery in the United States was "a choice" for those enslaved.
"When you hear about slavery for 400 years ... For 400 years? That sounds like a choice.," West said in an erratic interview where he also proclaimed his love for President Donald Trump. "You were there for 400 years and it's all of y'all. It's like we're mentally imprisoned."
Recently addressing high school students at We Rise, a Los Angeles art and community festival, Bryant was asked by Kaya, a 14-year-old BlackSportsOnline.com junior reporter, for his take on Kanye's remarks. And he didn't mince his own words.
"I'm sure the same way everybody else here in this room feels -- 'What the hell are you talking about?'" Bryant said. "I think that was my reaction as is everybody else's reaction."
Bryant, who's received praise from Kanye for past performances on the court, acknowledged that West has the freedom to express his opinions, saying "the thing about our country is that you have the right to say whatever it is that you want to say" and "that's the beautiful thing about living in a democracy."
But he also made it clear he doesn't align with West's comments.
"I think, for him, he's one of these entertainers that's always in a constant state of growth, he's always challenging ... himself, doing a lot of questioning internally himself," Bryant said of Kanye, "so I just take it for what it is and completely disagree."
