John Legend revealed the exact moment Kanye West started spiraling years before his public meltdown.
The All of Me hitmaker, 46, opened up about his relationship with his former mentor and spoke about how ‘sad’ he is to witness the ‘devolution’ of his ex-friend.
In his interview with The Times, which was published on Saturday, the singer-songwriter recalled noticing a ‘difference’ in the 47-year-old rapper’s mental state before their falling out.
He also said that the person West, who now goes by Ye, is today is not the same person he knew over two decades ago.
Legend addressed how their friendship ended back in 2022 and talked about West’s staunch support of Donald Trump and harmful, unhinged social media rants in recent months.
This comes after Legend sparked backlash from MAGA supporters after footage emerged of him calling Trump a white supremacist.

John Legend revealed the exact moment Kanye West started spiraling years before his public meltdown; pictured October 2024 in Los Angeles

The All of Me hitmaker, 46, opened up about his relationship with his former mentor and spoke about how ‘sad’ he is to witness the ‘devolution’ of his ex-friend; pictured August 2015 in Los Angeles
In his interview, Legend said that he no longer recognizes today’s West as the same rapper who had once signed him to his G.O.O.D. Music record label back in 2004.
‘Back then, Kanye was very passionate, very gifted, and he had big dreams not only for himself but also for all the people around him,’ Legend said.
About his ex-friend, 47, voicing antisemitic and anti-Black commentary recently, he added: ‘He had so much optimism, so much creativity. It does feel sad, sometimes shocking, to see where he is now.’
Over the years, West has been caught up in a number of controversies, including antisemitic rants, wearing a KKK outfit during an interview and for publicly slamming his ex-wife Kim Kardashian, the mother of his four children.
‘I didn’t see a hint of what we’re seeing now, his obsessions with antisemitism, anti-blackness, and it is sad to see his devolution,’ he continued about his former mentor.
He also said that the public should not be psychoanalyzing West but admitted that he saw ‘definitely a difference’ in the rapper’s mental state after his mother Donda West died in 2007.
‘I don’t think we’re qualified to psychoanalyze him, but after his mother passed in 2007 there was definitely a difference. His descent started then and seems to have accelerated recently.’
Legend also opened up about their falling out after confirming their friendship ended in 2022 due to differences in their political beliefs.

In his interview with The Times , which was published on Saturday, the singer-songwriter recalled noticing a ‘difference’ in the 47-year-old rapper’s mental state before their falling out; pictured in 2007

He also said that the person West, who now goes by Ye, is today is not the same person he knew over two decades ago

Legend addressed how their friendship ended back in 2022 and talked about West’s staunch support of Donald Trump and harmful, unhinged social media rants in recent months; Legend pictured alongside his wife Chrissy Teigen as well as West and his then-wife Kim Kardashian in January 2015

Over the years, West has been caught up in a number of controversies, including antisemitic rants, wearing a KKK outfit during an interview and for publicly slamming his ex-wife Kim Kardashian, the mother of his four children; pictured December 2012 in Las Vegas
Legend stopped being friends with West in 2022 after the latter revealed he was a staunch supporter of Donald Trump.
And Legend later said that the political division between them ‘became too much for us to sustain.’
Less than a month ago, Legend sparked controversy across the internet when resurfaced footage showed him making a shocking accusation towards the president.
In a clip, the singer was heard referring to Trump as a ‘white supremacist,’ which brought upon backlash as MAGA supporters branded him a ‘racist’ hypocrite.
Most recently, West seemingly confirmed his separation from his current wife Bianca Censori in another social media rant.
He confirmed rumors that his marriage to the architect was on the rocks on his new track BIANCA from his latest album WW3.