'Ignorant' and 'distasteful': Kanye West slammed for making flippant reference to Parkinson's Disease in song lyric

PUBLISHED: 09:52 EST, 19 June 2013 | UPDATED: 14:18 EST, 19 June 2013

216

View
comments

Kanye West was accused of being 'ignorant' and 'distasteful' after referencing the involuntary shaking symptom of Parkinson's disease in a lyric on his new album.

The 36-year-old singer was criticized by the American Parkinson Disease Foundation over a lyric in the song On Sight on his new album Yeezus.

'A monster about to come alive again / Soon as I pull up and park the Benz / We get this b**** shaking like Parkinson's,' Kanye says in the song.

Critical reception: Kanye West, shown earlier this month at a Yeezus listening party in Switzerland, was slammed by the American Parkinson Disease Association over an offensive lyric

The reference to the Parkinson's symptom of involuntary shaking was met with strong criticism by Kathryn Whitford, vice president of the American Parkinson Disease Foundation, which serves the 1.5 million people in the United States afflicted with the disease.

'We find these lyrics distasteful and the product of obvious ignorance,' Whitford said in a statement to TMZ.

More...

The organization was founded in 1961 to provide support and seek a cure for the degenerative neurological disease.

New father: Kanye, shown with girlfriend Kim Kardashian last month, became a father over the weekend and released his new album this week

Tom Palizzi, chair of the People with Parkinson's Advisory Council, offered to help Kanye better understand the disease in an open letter on Tuesday.

He noted how actor Michael J. Fox, famed boxer Muhammad Ali and former Major League Baseball layer Ben Petrick have provided inspiration as they cope with the disease.

Steve Ford, the head of Parkinson's UK, harshly criticized the singer for the lyric.

Courting controversy: Kanye, shown with Kim at the Met Gala last month in New York City, has been a lightning rod of drama over the years

'Kanye West has shown an inexcusable level of stupidity and cruelty towards people living with an incurable condition,' Ford said.

People with the disease have to cope with discrimination and Kanye's 'thoughtless, callous comment can only serve to make things even worse for them.'

Kanye released Yeezus on Tuesday after spending much of the last year in Paris recording his sixth studio album.

New album: Kanye released his new album Yeezus on Tuesday

Kanye earlier this month described the album's release as 'delivering [something] for ya'll to go to work to, ride to, listen to when ya'll working out - whatever you're doing, to provide a soundtrack for it.'

The 10-track album crosses over a series of genres - from punk rock to new wave -- and features collaborations with Daft Punk, Bon Iver's Justin Vernon and Frank Ocean to name a few.

Kanye became a father on Saturday when girlfriend Kim Kardashian gave birth to a baby girl.

KANYE WEST UNDER ATTACK Over 'Parkinson's' Lyric On New Album

Add your comments

Comments (218)

The comments below have not been moderated.

View all

Idiot. Sure he'll play that crap to his daughter..

- Priscilla , Melbourne Australia, Australia, 20/6/2013 06:29

Click to rate Rating (0)

Despicable prat!!!

- Johnboy999 , England, United Kingdom, 20/6/2013 06:29

Click to rate Rating 1

Kanye wouldnt have considered other people might be offended by his lame lyrics. He is as vain as vain can be. He wont be remembered the way Jim Morrison was, or how people speak of Kate Bush or Led Zeppelin. They were true artists who didnt need to bang on about money or woman in order to sell records.

- Kimbilly , Auckland, 20/6/2013 06:16

Click to rate Rating 3

- Kimbilly , Auckland, 20/6/2013 06:16

Click to rate Rating 3

Half of the people commenting on here do not even listen to his music anyway!! Besides, Diseases and illnesses are referenced in songs all the time and no one bats an eyelid at all, until its ..... KANYE!!! Give it a rest

- LuvBigBooty , Act Like u Know, 20/6/2013 04:42

Click to rate Rating 15

oh, what do you expect from such a self absorbed unit.

- cappygolucky , Adelaide, Australia, 20/6/2013 04:08

Click to rate Rating 19

Please don't make me say the illegal word. The NSA will be at my door in five minutes. Or Obama might drone me.

- MJT , Somewhere in the USA, 20/6/2013 03:59

Click to rate Rating 9

Now the politically correct brigade are trying to kill rap music. Lacura, Earth, 20/6/2013 1:13........Are they? Where is the politics in parkinson's? Rap music is old school now, it's over, nobody has to kill it. Any dummy who can rhyme a couple of words can rap and any dummy does as this guy proves.He's one with attitude and if you know rap you know what im sayin.

- Steve , Beverly Hills, United States, 20/6/2013 03:53

Click to rate Rating 7

I'm not at all a Kanye West fan, but people need to stop getting offended by every little thing. I'm offended by everyone being offended all the time.- April, Alabama, United States, 20/6/2013 10:16................I'm with you on this .I'm offended by you being offended by people being offended over every little thing.Too many people out there get offended. But the reason is there are too many people like this guy causing offense.Yeezus the name of his trashy album says it all this is one over the top dumb..................you know the rest.

- Steve , Beverly Hills, United States, 20/6/2013 03:48

Click to rate Rating 11

He's just a thick rapper what do you expect from him?Then we have the car dash ian factor.The guy gets money but he's nothing, or in his genre nuttin, yu know wot i'm sayin?

- Steve , Beverly Hills, United States, 20/6/2013 03:39

Click to rate Rating 9

Share this comment

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.