Candace Owens Apologizes to Kanye West After He Distances Himself from Blexit

Candace Owens speaking with attendees at the 2018 Young Women's Leadership Summit
Gage Skidmore/Flickr
Joshua Caplan

Candace Owens on Wednesday apologized to Kanye West after the musician and fashion designer distanced himself from Blexit, a campaign founded by the political commentator to encourage black Americans to leave the Democrat Party, saying that he is “completely right to feel used” to promote the newly-launched initiative.

Read Owens’ full statement below:

Let me first say, to those that have relished in my hurt and pain:

If knowing that I bleed and that I hurt brings you comfort and celebration— then there is no question that you won last night.

Celebrate.
Be comforted.

I grew up in one of those storied unstable homes. I experienced more hurt before I turned 10 years old then most will experience over a lifetime. Listening to music from Kanye West and Jay-Z is what I give credit to having kept my spirit alive on some of the very worst days. It’s a crazy thing to know that you wake up one day and someone whose words and lyrics literally kept your spirit alive is suddenly your friend.

God is good.

There are so many people in this world who love Kanye West because they know he is great and powerful and cool, but not every person in this world knows what it means to have someone’s rap lyrics literally save you.

The people that attended the BLEXIT launch do, however. The emotion in that room was real and was raw, and to them – like to me – Kanye is a literal superhero.

The moment we were building— a moment that included kids who had similar backgrounds and experiences to me; the moment that included people who had served prison sentences, grown up without fathers, were currently living in group homes, or took their first plane rides that day— was never about cameras or celebrities or press or designs. It was about superheroes. It was about the Herculean strength it takes to chase after your dreams when everyone tells you that they can’t be realized.

#BLEXIT was always about teaching those people to fly.

If I had to imagine what it would feel like to have a bullet pierce my heart, it would be exactly like the moment I learned Kanye told the world he felt I had used him.

I wouldn’t wish the way I felt last night upon my worst enemy.

I never once said that Kanye designed the t-shirts for BLEXIT. This is a lie that seems to have made its way around the world; a lie I would like to again correct for the record. Kanye was completely right to feel used in that regard and as I have done personally, I would like to publicly apologize to him for any undue stress or pain the effort to correct that rumor has caused him, his business relationships, or his family. He simply never designed them.

I am a leader, and I would like to lead in this moment by stating that any and all confusion relating to this topic is therefore my fault, entirely.

I would also like to publicly apologize to President Trump, as I know that Kanye’s tweets were rapidly misinterpreted as a shot to this administration.

His tweets were aimed at me and me only, rightfully, for my personal failings.
I bare full responsibility.

There is no manual to any of this. I wake up everyday, and I do what I think is right. And today, this is what I feel in my heart to be right.

I conceptualized BLEXIT in February of this year backstage at CPAC. Nobody really knew me then, but I knew in that very moment that I was the person who was meant to lead black America out of the darkness and away from the lies and deception of policies that have paralyzed our progress.

To all those in the black community who felt their hearts break last night, remember this moment. Remember these emotions. Remember the people who enjoyed your pain, and remember those who stood by your side.

We all know how lonely this road can be.

We all know how unpleasant this journey can be, but you will never lose me, and I will never lose you.

#BLEXIT will happen because the universe and God are on our side.

To those who have donated and supported BLEXIT, I would like to clarify that in no way are you supporting the work of Kanye West.

You are supporting an orphanage of thought for free thinkers. A figurative home for those who have been excommunicated for daring to view themselves as more than just victims. You are supporting our love, compassion, and conviction that there is a way to better ourselves without government handouts.

BLEXIT represents the vision of the black community becoming victors. It represents an America united by the shared belief that no matter where you come from – if you work hard and stay focused on the good things— we can all be superheroes.

We can and – at long last – we will.

#BLEXIT

West, in one of a series of tweets, said he had never wanted any association with Blexit, stating that Owens used his name to promote the campaign after the designer who helped make the initiative’s logo asked not to be made public. “I introduced Candace to the person who made the logo and they didn’t want their name on it so she used mine. I never wanted any association with Blexit,” the rapper wrote. “I have nothing to do with it.”

The rapper, who discussed prison sentencing and North Korea over lunch with President Donald Trump just earlier this month, also claimed that his “eyes are now wide open” and that he’s backing away from politics.

Several news outlets, including Breitbart News, Page Six, Daily Mail, USA Today, Fox News, and BBC, reported Owens statement Saturday announcing Blexit in which she said, “Blexit is a renaissance and I am blessed to say that this logo, these colors, were created by my dear friend and fellow superhero Kanye West.”

As Breitbart News’ Jerome Hudson reported, Owens released a statement Monday, in which she accused the press of attempting to conflate West with the campaign and said the rapper only assisted with the X in the logo’s BLEXIT design.

“Today the press is trying to conflate “Kanye West ” with “BLEXIT” to get website clicks — so allow me to clarify my earlier statement,” Owens’ statement read.

“I said on stage that my friend and fellow superhero helped me design the “X” for BLEXIT. This may shock the world, but Ye is a world renowned designed. Everyone who knows him asks him for advice on design. Ye support various people in different regards, because at the end of the day — his message about unity and love,” Owens continued.

“He supports Colin Kaepernick. He supports Amare Enyia. He has said he loves Hillary Clinton. He has said he loves Donald Trump,” she added. “BLEXIT is a project that is mine entirely. I am blessed that Ye introduced me to a designer who despite having totally different political beliefs than me, helped me craft some beautiful letter that I used on the BLEXIT caps.”

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