‘Don’t Clown The Creators’: Kanye West Blames Media For Backlash Over Trash Bag Fashion Displays

Artist Kanye West unloaded on critics after trash-bag themed displays for his Yeezy clothing line — available at Gap retail stores nationwide — were slammed as “insensitive” to the homeless.

West gave a brief interview to Fox News reporter Eric Shawn on Thursday, and he said that he was an “innovator” — and had no intention of apologizing for his artistic choices. He also claimed that the interview was “the path from God” designed to help him get his message out to the public.

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"Look, man, I'm an innovator," Kanye West says he's not here to "sit up and apologize" for trash bag Yeezy Gap displays. pic.twitter.com/HkbTgUcXK2

— Virginia Kruta (@VAKruta) August 18, 2022

“America’s Newsroom” anchor Bill Hemmer introduced the clip on Thursday’s show, noting that West had faced some criticism for the displays and turning the floor over to Eric Shawn — who Hemmer joked was now to be known simply as “Shawn.”

“He wants everyone to know that no, they are not garbage bags, but they are construction bags. He believes his message is being mistaken and misunderstood,” Shawn explained before cutting to the clip of his interview with West. “He wanted to point out that even though he came under fire yesterday on social media and Fox News and elsewhere, critics mocking his putting the clothes in bags felt he was trying to mock homeless people and this sort of thing. He says that’s not at all the case, that his aim and goal is just the opposite. He wants to make clothes easy and wants to challenge conventions such as dropping the use of hangers in stores and said he wants to make his clothing line informal and not pretentious.”

Shawn asked West directly whether he had an answer to the critics who suggested it was at least insensitive to the homeless.

“Look, man, I’m an innovator, and I’m not here to sit up and apologize about my ideas,” West replied. “That’s exactly what the media tries to do: make us apologize for any idea that doesn’t fall under exactly the way they want us to think.”

“He fears the criticism that he’s come under of himself and artists can stifle innovation. In his words he told me, quote, ‘don’t clown the creators,'” Shawn continued.

“This is like — not a joke or a game. This is not just some celebrity collaboration,” West said, pivoting to demand an apology from the critics. “I’m ready for y’all apology. We are creating — I’ve fought a lot. I’ve lost my best friend, I lost my family. And I’m here still creating.”

“He also told me he believes the interview was the path from God to put us together this morning to get his message out. Certainly I’m told the clothing line has sold out across the country and the publicity won’t hurt it,” Shawn concluded.