It was the quote heard ‘round the world. In the May 2020 issue of GQ, cover star Kanye West spoke about “one of my best friends,” the late basketball legend Kobe Bryant, and claimed, “He was the basketball version of me, and I was the rap version of him.” News outlets and social media accounts took the soundbite and ran with it, incurring the wrath of sports fans along the way.
Talking out of turn – and being villainized online for it – is nothing new for West, who seems to live with at least one foot permanently wedged in his mouth. But Twitter was particularly cruel in its criticism of West’s comment, with the majority taking him to task for the unfair comparison to Bryant, who died in a helicopter crash earlier this year. Bryant may not be here to defend himself, but Twitter is. Here are the fiercest – and funniest – reaction tweets from the Twitterverse.
Cover Photo: KMazur / Contributor (Getty Images)
Who Said It: Jesus Christ or Kanye West?
Kobe didn’t need to date a Kardashian to make him self relevant.
— jscurryIII (@john_scurry11) April 15, 2020
Kanye needs to get back on his meds…..he is embarrassing himself
— lesley (@arcangelcricket) April 15, 2020
Kanye needs to pull his head out of KK’s derrière, I don’t think his brain gets enough oxygen.
— Parisa (@ParisaCarello) April 16, 2020
Kobe would slap him for saying this.
— Uncut Gem (@GTAVINews) April 16, 2020
But Kobe was actually talented
— Falconero (@TheFalconero) April 15, 2020
If only everyone thought as highly of Kanye as Kanye thinks of Kanye
— seattleh2ohhh (@seattleh2ohhh) April 15, 2020
Jesus can you please take Kanye and give us Kobe back pic.twitter.com/Xbnlu5KfWR
— Crystal (@crystalmvargas) April 15, 2020
— jess (@jessica_2630) April 15, 2020
No not really. The world loved Kobe Kanye loves Kanye. Big difference
— coco (@carinmontero14) April 16, 2020
Only similarities btwn Kobe & Kanye is that they both black & both lived in CA. That’s it.
— ]€@|\|!{_}$… (@_JEANIUS_) April 16, 2020
I know very little about Kanye and Kobe and even I can tell you Kanye is talking out of his ass here.
— Andrew James (@anderoojames) April 16, 2020
I love Kanye but pic.twitter.com/eBir8hDKU4
— LADO (@moneymanAGD) April 15, 2020
I love Kanye but pic.twitter.com/eBir8hDKU4
— LADO (@moneymanAGD) April 15, 2020
Nope.
Not even close. pic.twitter.com/S2y2JBT2aX
— Varun Khanna (@BrownBearVK) April 15, 2020
— Mr.Big (@MrBig4423) April 15, 2020
Is Kanye on crack?
— Poller (@PollMaker) April 15, 2020
— Hector Sandoval (@Chachidagreat) April 15, 2020
— Carrie Cross (@carriecross1974) April 16, 2020
I don’t remember Kobe having a complete mentality shift halfway through his career and speaking about politics to get recognition, but maybe I’m mistaken.
— Brendan Stepp (@SteppBrendan) April 15, 2020
Kanye like Dennis Rodman lol
— Lil Rudy (@SBDRE510) April 16, 2020