Kanye West says mental illness caused him to say slavery was a choice for blacks

Kanye West has blamed mental illness for his statement that slavery was a choice for black people.

The rapper spoke for the first time since his outburst on TMZ. During his album release party for Ye in Jackson, Wyoming, the father-of-three sat down with Big Boy TV to discuss his album and personal issues.

Kanye explained that following his meltdown on TMZ, he created an entirely different album.

“We just sat there and really honed in on the words. Also, we know now, it’s all headlines, every bar can be used. I took a bar off the album. It was just too sensitive about that topic and stuff.”

He also said that his mental illness was the cause of his TMZ rant. Kanye, 40, said he was diagnosed with a mental illness at 39.

“I’m so blessed and so privileged because think about people that have mental issues that are not Kanye West, that can’t go and make that [album] and make you feel like it’s all good. Think about someone who does exactly what I did at TMZ and they just do that at work. On Tuesday morning, they come in and they just lost their job. And they can’t go back and do that…That’s why God put that on me at 40…I’ve never been diagnosed and I was like 39 years old…It’s not a disability, it’s a superpower,” Kanye told Big Boy.