John Legend opened up about Kanye West mocking his scent and sweaters, calling the entire situation “sad.”
The Grammy-winning singer addressed West’s bizarre jab—”They said he smells like mashed potatoes”—during an appearance on Hot 97’s “Ebro in the Morning” earlier this week.
“He was very obsessed with me wearing sweaters,” Legend said. “And he said I smell like mashed potatoes. What kind of potatoes? Cheesy, garlic?”
He continued, insisting he wasn’t offended, adding, “All of it makes me sad, though. All of it does.”
West didn’t stop at the mashed potatoes comment. He also took shots at Legend’s fashion choices and referred to him as a “sissy” during the same interview earlier this year.
Legend, who was once one of West’s closest collaborators, said he wasn’t personally hurt by the insults but is troubled by what West has become.
“It never affects me personally, but just the whole story is sad,” he explained. “Seeing this guy praise Hitler, seeing this guy be like this force of hate and just vitriol and nastiness.”
Reflecting on his legacy, Legend said, “All the things that he’s done to make the world more beautiful and more interesting and then for him to be this now is sad. It’s just sad.”
John Legend Says Kanye West Has Gone “Completely Left”
The two artists were once tightly linked. Legend was one of the first signees to West’s GOOD Music label in 2004 and contributed vocals and songwriting to several of West’s early albums. Their creative chemistry helped shape the sound of early 2000s Hip-Hop and R&B.
However, their relationship deteriorated over West’s political views and descent into controversy.
“He was full of so much energy and creativity and optimism,” Legend recalled. “We really believed we were starting a new movement in music — and we were — and being a part of that was inspiring, it was truly inspiring. That’s why it’s sad now… Even though he’s gone, like, completely left now, I’m so glad that we did what we did together.”