In an electrifying chat with The New York Times' Popcast, Swedish rap star Yung Lean opened up about his rollercoaster relationships with superstars Kanye West (AKA Ye) and Travis Scott. Get ready for some jaw-dropping revelations!
First up, Lean shared the scoop on his tight bond with Travis Scott, a friendship that’s been rock-solid for years. Plot twist: He then dropped bombshells about his fleeting connection with Kanye, who's been in hot water over antisemitic comments. Here's what Lean had to say about it.
“Kanye is mentally ill,” Lean said bluntly. “I’ve been there and I feel for him. But the stuff he says about Jewish people—my grandpa was Jewish—I just can’t defend him. That said, this is still the guy who made ‘Flashing Lights.’ I haven’t seen him for ages because, honestly, it's all too much.”
Lean reminisced about a dinner with Ye three years ago, calling it a total vibe. “When it was just us two, it was awesome, like two kids bouncing ideas off each other. Ye’s got a big heart, but the next time I saw him, things felt darker—and then the tweetstorms began. Too. Much.”
He’s got some real talk about his association with Ye: “Public drama? Meh, I can deal. But, I felt like I was being pulled into something I didn’t want. Best move? Not collaborating. I mean, I’ve been manic myself. Lithium helps. But Ye? Doesn’t listen.”
And here’s the kicker for all you creatives out there: Lean squashes the myth that bipolar disorder kills creativity. “On meds, you can still be ultra-creative. Otherwise, you’re just all over the place. Maybe not all figured out yet, but I’m close.”
Oh, and despite sightings of Lean with Ye and Bianca Censori at Disneyland last year, any rumors of collabs vanished into thin air.
Catch the full vibe of Yung Lean's interview with Popcast below!