Footage has emerged of Kanye West snatching a photographer’s phone after she asked him if he is “controlling” his wife Biana Censori.
The video, which was captured by TMZ, shows one of the outlet’s paparazzi approaching the rapper as he walked down the street in Los Angeles, California. “Hey, Kanye,” she began. “How’re you doing? It’s good to see you.”
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She continued: “People wanna know if Bianca has her free will. Some people are saying you’re controlling her.”
West, who had his face covered by a black balaclava, then responded by grabbing the photographer’s phone before calling her out for asking him “dumbass shit”. He said: “I’m a person, bro!”
Ye went on to ask whether the paparazzi had children and if she herself had free will. “That’s my wife! You understand? You wanted to ask me shit when I couldn’t see my kids,” he added.
Later, the photographer requested that West hand back the phone. The ‘Donda 2’ star questioned if she understood why he had taken issue with her comments, to which she replied: “I hear you.”
Kanye West grabs photographer’s phone and lectures her after she asked Ye if his wife Bianca Censori has free will. pic.twitter.com/Vv5Xbj4i2s
— XXL Magazine (@XXL) January 29, 2024
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QN_5cpP2G6I
But Ye didn’t back down, saying: “No, tell me. Was it wrong for you to ask me about my wife? Some dumbass disrespectful shit like that. Was that wrong or right?” West refused to hand back the phone until she answered his question.
“Was that a dumbass disrespectful question to come ask a grown-ass superhero?” he said. “Answer the question! What’s your name? What is your first and last name and address?” A police officer then jumped in to establish what was going on.
Ye continued by demanding that the photographer reveal her yearly salary. “I’ll pay you double what [TMZ is] paying you,” he told her. “You wanna work for me instead?” It was at this point West handed back the phone and walked away.
Some fans recently expressed their concern for Censori after West shared some nearly-naked photos of her on social media. Captioning one image, he wrote: “No pants this year.” In another upload – a mirror selfie – the rapper appeared fully clothed beside his wife (via Metro).
It has since been reported that Ye has banned Censori from using social media in a bid to protect her from the negative comments she receives, according to The Mirror. A source said they were concerned the artist was trying to “isolate” her, and that she felt “trapped” within the marriage (via Daily Mail).
Last week, Kanye West shared a dramatic trailer for his new three-volume ‘Vultures’ albums with Ty Dolla $ign and announced their respective release dates. The first entry in the long-delayed collaborative project is due to arrive on February 9.