Yahoo Lifestyle After North West’s Viral “Lion King” Performance Was Described As An Example Of “Nepotism At Its Finest,” Kim Kardashian Hit Back
You might recall that last year, North West — daughter of Kim Kardashian and Kanye “Ye” West — took to the stage at the Hollywood Bowl to perform a rendition of “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King” at Disney’s special The Lion King event.
The two-day live concert was held in celebration of the film’s 30th anniversary and featured performances by original cast members Jeremy Irons and Nathan Lane, as well as special guest Jennifer Hudson.
Unfortunately, North’s performance was widely criticized by internet users, with several people arguing that the 11-year-old got the gig because of her parents’ status. One person tweeted at the time, “I’m not trying to hate on a child, but this is why nepotism doesn’t always work… you can’t fake talent.” Others wrote, “Nepotism at its finest.”
Kim remained silent at the time, though in this week’s installment of The Kardashians, we’ve finally learned how she really felt amid the criticism. The episode starts out with Kim admitting that she was super hesitant about letting North perform at the Hollywood Bowl, admitting that her daughter is “not a singer.”
“I’m really torn on if I should let her do this or not,” she says in a confessional. “North is very comfortable performing, but she’s not a singer, you know; she raps. I mean, she’s been on stage with her dad for sure, but as a mom, especially putting her child on a platform for a lot of opinions, it’s something to really, really, really think about.”
Kim then reveals that she discussed the subject with her ex-husband Ye, who said that it sounded “cool.” They then had a “family discussion” with North, who was immediately keen to do the gig.
Kim is also filmed on the phone with her sister Khloé, who says of North, “The fact that she was asked to do this is so major.”
Later on in the episode, Kim directly addresses the widespread scrutiny that North’s performance garnered.
“I already know what’s coming, you know, ‘She’s not Whitney Houston.’ Duh!” she says. “‘She got the job because of her parents.’ North is the moment. They wanna see North West on a TikTok...on anything, because she’s a personality, a performer.”
“And if anyone wants to hate on a child, that is having the time of their lives… Fuck you,” she adds.
LMK what you think of Kim’s response in the comments. Meanwhile, you can stream this episode of The Kardashians now on Hulu or Disney+.
Original Cast Member Jason Weaver Defended North West's Performance After Clips Of Her Singing "I Just Can't Wait To Be King" At A "Lion King" Anniversary Concert Went ViralNatasha Jokic · May 28, 2024
Kim Kardashian Reposted A Side-By-Side Video Comparing Her Younger Self To North West, And The Similarities In Looks And Mannerisms Are WildLeyla Mohammed · Oct. 16, 2024
North West Was Asked What She Wants To Be When She’s Older And Her Response Was Just As Iconic As You’d ExpectEllen Durney · April 17, 2023
