Kanye West is reclaiming the narrative surrounding his decision to purchase a house across from estranged wife Kim Kardashian.
During a snippet interview with Jason Lee for Hollywood Unlocked, which is set to be released in full on Monday (Jan. 17), the rapper (who recently changed his name to “Ye”) shared his love for his children North, Saint, Chicago and Psalm — which is why he wanted to live close to them.
“My solace comes from seeing my kids and getting a solid schedule. That’s why I even got the house,” he explained. “The media flipped into there was something wrong with me getting a house next to my kids.”
He then related it to his own situation being far away from his father growing up. “You see when my mom took me from Atlanta to Chicago, my dad didn’t come to the coldest and most dangerous city in the world to be next to [me],” Ye recalled. “He said, ‘I’m going to stay down in Atlanta.’”
Ye assured that “nothing with my career, with this rap, with this media, with none of that, that’s gonna keep me from my children. And that’s what I want everybody to know.”
He continued, “Don’t play with me, don’t play with my children. Ain’t no security gonna get in between me and my children and you ain’t gonna gaslight me.”
Kardashian filed for divorce from West in February 2021. In December, West began spending time with Uncut Gems actress Julia Fox, who recently discussed their relationship in an episode of her Forbidden Fruits podcast with co-host Niki Takesh.
“I’m just living in the moment and I don’t have any expectations. There’s no labels, there’s none of that. It’s just people who make each other feel better,” she said.
“He’s a f—ing genius,” she added, “And it’s honestly just an honor to be in the presence and to be able to witness history happening,” she said. “Even being in the studio with him and Future, and listening to the new songs — which, by the way, are f—ing insane — that’s really cool.”