We know what you’re thinking – another day, another bonkers Kanye West rant.
But this one is different.
This time, the troubled rapper turned presidential candidate won’t be able to take back what he said, and his words are likely to have a considerable impact on his personal life for several years to come.
After years of rumors to that effect, West stated that he wants to divorce Kim Kardashian, his wife of six years, and the mother of his four children.
In fact, he says he’s been trying to leave the marriage since 2018.
Even if West’s words are the result of a psychotic break, as has been rumored, it seems unlikely that his marriage will continue unscathed after this one.
Here’s everything we know about the situation thus far – along with Kim’s surprising response, which was both measured and empathetic:
The End of the Kimye Era?
Kanye West stunned fans early Wednesday morning when he tweeted that he’s been trying to divorce Kim Kardashian for nearly two years. It was one of many shocking claims made by the rapper — and presidential candidate — during his latest Twitter tirade.
The Bombshell
“I been trying to get divorced since Kim met with Meek at the Warldolf [sic] for ‘prison reform,’” West wrote in a since-deleted tweet.
What Would Meek Do?
According to Page Six, the tweet was referring to a criminal justice summit attended that was attended by both Kim and rapper Meek Mill in November of 2018.
Through the Wringer
It’s unclear how Kim’s behavior at the summit might have led Kanye to want to end the couple’s marriage. But while West did not provide specifics, he certainly wasn’t finished tweeting.
Off On a Rant
In a typo-riddled rant that was often difficult to decode, Kanye referred to his mother-in-law as “Kris Jong Un” and complained that the rapper Lil Baby refuses to work with him.
Desperate Measures
“They tried to fly in with 2 doctors to 51/50 me,” Kanye tweeted, an apparent reference to the California welfare code that allows psychiatric patients who may be a danger to themselves to be placed under an involuntary hold by members of their family.
A Shocking Allegation
“Kriss and Kim put out a statement without my approval … that’s not what a wife should do White supremacy,” the rapper continued.
Really Going Off
Yes, Kanye not only compared his mother-in-law to North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un, he also accused her of being a white supremacist. Something tells us the family won’t have an easy time moving past this one.
Out West
“I will live for my children Kris I’m in Cody if your not planning another one of your children’s playboy shoots,” West continued, confirming that he was sending the tweets from his ranch in Cody, Wyoming.
Dragging Kylie In
The Playboy line seems to be a reference to Kylie Jenner’s recent shoot for the famed men’s magazine. Needless to say, Kanye’s tone doesn’t exactly seem congratulatory here.
Anti-Playboy
Continuing his apparent assault on Kris’ parenting, Kanye tweeted a photo of himself with his children. He captioned the image, “West children will never do playboy.”
On the Campaign Trail
The Twitter tirade comes just days after Kanye seemed to suffer a meltdown at an event promoting his presidential campaign in South Carolina.
A Painful Revelation
During a tearful speech, Kanye revealed that he and Kim discussed the possibility of aborting their first child, daughter North West.
The Word From On High
West stated that he changed his mind when he experienced what he described as divine intervention. “And God said, ‘If you f— with my vision I’m gonna f— with yours,'” the rapper said after recounting an incident in which his laptop screen suddenly went black. “And I called my wife and she said, ‘We’re gonna have this baby,’ and I said ‘We’re gonna have this child.’”
The “D” Word
“Even if my wife wants to divorce me after this speech she brought North into the world even when I didn’t want to. She stood up and she protected that child,” West added.
Making the Private Public
The next day, Kanye tweeted that Kim came to Wyoming with a doctor “to lock me up like on the movie Get Out because I cried about saving my daughter’s life.”
Courting Controversy?
West made a number of bizarre statements during his campaign rally that raised concerns about his mental health. “Harriet Tubman never actually freed the slaves, she just had them work for other white people,” he said at one point.
Still Going
The controversial comments continued this morning, as Kanye repeated the debunked theory that music mogul Tommy Mottola had Michael Jackson murdered.
Going There
“MJ told you about Tommy before they killed him. Kim saved my daughters life in the name of Jesus. It’s Gods choice only. I will live for my children Kris I’m in Cody if you’re not planning another one of your children’s playboy shoots,” West wrote.
A Long Time Coming
Obviously, many of Kanye’s statements came as a shock even to those who know him best. But the divorce comments apparently were not surprising to his inner circle.
Alone Together
Those who know them best say Kim and Kanye spent much of the coronavirus lockdown residing at opposite ends of their palatial estate outside Los Angeles.
Daily Drama
“Since lockdown they’ve had daily bust-ups over literally everything. But mainly about the kids, their future, and the different directions they’re going in,” a source told UK tabloid The Sun.
Trying Her Patience
“They’ve barely had a functioning marriage for the last year and Kim has been finding living with him too difficult,” the insider continued.
Always Scheming?
“He’s very demanding and always obsessed with one of his schemes — she’s exhausted. They live totally separate lives now,” says the source.
A Sad Ending
Rumors of a Kim and Kanye divorce have been circulating since about the time the couple got married. Now, it appears that the Wests are really prepared to go their separate ways. We’ll keep you updated on this developing story as more information becomes available.
Kim Finally Speaks Out
Hours after Kanye sent and deleted these divorce-themed Tweets, his wife addressed his mental disorder for the first time.
Please Bear With Us…
“As many of you know, Kanye has bipolar disorder,” she began. “Anyone who has this or has a loved one in their life who does, knows how incredibly complicated and painful it is to understand.”
This Must Be Said
She continued, explaining why she has chosen this moment to comment: “I’ve never spoken publicly about how this has affected us at home because I am very protective of our children and Kanye’s right to privacy when it comes to his health. But today, I feel like I should comment on it because of the stigma and misconceptions about mental health.”
Kontinued Kim:
“Those that understand mental illness or even compulsive behavior know that the family is powerless unless the member is a minor. People who are unaware or far removed from this experience can be judgmental and not understand that the individual themselves have to engage in the process of getting help no matter how hard family and friends try.”
My Husband is a Genius, But…
He is a brilliant but complicated person who on top of the pressures of being an artist and a black man, who experienced the painful loss of his mother, has to deal with the pressure and isolation that is heightened by his bi-polar disorder. Those who are close with Kanye know his heart and understand his words some times do not align with his intentions.
Please Do Not Judge Him
“Living with bi-polar disorder does not diminish or invalidate his dreams and his creative ideas, no matter how big or unobtainable they may feel to some,” Kim explained. “That is part of his genius and as we have all witnessed, many of his big dreams have come true.”
In Conclusion?
“We as a society talk about giving grace to the issue of mental health as a whole, however we should also give it to the individuals who are living with it in times when they need it the most. I kindly ask that the media and public give us the compassion and empathy that is needed so that we can get through this. Thank you for those who have expressed concern for Kanye’s well being and for your understanding.”