COLUMBIA, SC (AP) – Rapper Kanye West, in his first event since declaring himself a presidential candidate, railed against historic figure Harriet Tubman on Sunday, saying the director of the underground railroad “never freed slaves, she simply He made other white people work, ”comments that sparked cries of opposition from the crowd.
West delivered a long monologue, touching on topics from abortion and religion to international trade and licensing deals, before a crowd in North Charleston, South Carolina. Whether you’re really looking for the highest office in the country is still a question.
Tubman is one of the most respected figures in 19th century America. African American woman who escaped slavery, helped black slave men and women travel north to freedom, and fought for the Union during the Civil War. Later she became a supporter of women’s suffrage.
On abortion, West said that while he believes it should be legal, financial incentives to help struggling mothers could be a way to discourage the practice.
“Everyone who has a baby gets a million dollars,” he said as an example.
Wearing a protective vest and a shaved “2020” on his head, the artist appeared in a live broadcast of the event. Several hundred people gathered at a place where gospel music was playing before West’s appearance.
The event was reportedly for registered guests only, though the campaign website had no registration or RSVP information.
Speaking without a microphone, West became tearful at one point while talking about his mother, who died after complications from plastic surgery in 2007.
West did not meet the deadline to qualify for the ballot in several states, and it was unclear whether he was willing or able to collect enough signatures required to qualify in others. Last week, he qualified to appear on the Oklahoma presidential ballot, the first state where he qualified before the filing deadline.
West needed to collect 10,000 signatures before noon Monday to appear on the South Carolina ballot, according to state law. The artist tweeted a list of locations around the Charleston area where petitions could be signed. Email to an address allegedly associated with the campaign was not returned on Sunday afternoon.
West, who is married to reality TV star Kim Kardashian West, initially announced his candidacy on July 4.
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Meg Kinnard can be contacted at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP
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