Yahoo Lifestyle Don Lemon Claps Back After Kanye West Called Him Out In Instagram Post
After Ye, the artist formerly known as Kanye West, publicly accused Don Lemon of falsely reporting that he and his wife, Bianca Censori, were kicked out of the Grammys on Sunday, the former CNN host has responded to the rapper’s claims.
“This the goofball that started the rumor that me and my wife got kicked out the Grammies. 3 decades of innovating music and they always KOONS like this,” West wrote in a since-deleted Instagram post alongside a photo of Lemon, multipleoutlets reported.
On Monday, the journalist denied being behind the viral rumor.
“First of all, Kanye, Ye — whatever your name is — I did not start a rumor about you being kicked out of the Grammys,” Lemon said in a video posted to Instagram. “I actually corrected it. I saw someone on your team who asked me to correct it because it had been reported everywhere.”
“So first of all, get your shit straight,” he added. “And you, of all people, calling me a coon. That ‘Make America Great Again’ hat must be too tight on your head.”
Lemon was referencing Ye’s past wearing of Donald Trump’s controversial MAGA hat. The rapper notably wore it in September 2018 during an appearance on “Saturday Night Live,” as well as a month later while visiting Trump at the White House during his first term.
HuffPost has reached out to Lemon and Ye’s reps for comment.
Ye’s criticism of Lemon appears to have come after the TV personality said he was informed that West “wasn’t invited” to the Grammys. The ceremony was held at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
“I’m hearing that Kanye wanted to do the red carpet, that he wasn’t invited — that’s what I’m hearing from the folks here at the Grammys. And then he left, maybe he was escorted out,” Lemon said in a video he posted while at the event.
“That’s what folks are saying, but I’m not sure,” he added. “I think maybe he just wanted to do the carpet, but he definitely is gone. I may be the only person who interviewed him, by the way.”
Ye and Censori shocked fans after the latter shed her coat on the Grammys red carpet, revealing a totally transparent dress. The couple left shortly after, which sparked rumors that they were forcibly removed from the award show.
In a since-deleted Instagram post, Entertainment Tonight had initially reported that Ye, Censori and members of the artist’s entourage were escorted out of the Grammys because they showed up “uninvited.” However, the outlet later clarified its report in another post, with Harvey Mason Jr., the CEO of the Recording Academy, telling Entertainment Tonight that Ye was invited but “instead wanted to only walk the carpet and leave.” He was nominated for Best Rap Song for his 2024 tune, “Carnival.”
