Kanye West Isn’t Performing at the Trump Inauguration Because He’s Not “Traditionally American” Enough

Talk about a bad choice of words.

Tom Barrack, the head of the Presidential Inauguration Committee, was asked if Kanye West might end up performing as part of the festivities. It was a reasonable question, given that Yeezy and The Donald seem to be buds. This was his answer:

We haven’t asked him. I mean, he’s been great. He considers himself a friend of the president-elect, but it’s not the venue. The venue we have for entertainment is filled out; it’s perfect. It’s going to be typically and traditionally American. Kanye’s a great guy; we just haven’t asked him to perform. We move on with our agenda.

So Kanye isn’t “traditionally American” enough? Where to begin?

At last check, the celebrations include an opera singer (an Italian artform), an Irish river dancer (doing something Irish, no doubt) and DJ Ravidrums (he’s of Indian descent). And the last time I checked, rap and hip hop were very American inventions created by the descendants of Africans brought to America on slave ships.

(Via Vanity Fair)