Yung Lean Explains Why He ‘Can’t Defend’ Ye: ‘I Can’t Really Be Around It’

Yung Lean spoke about his relationship with Ye (formerly Kanye West) and Travis Scott in a new interview with The New York Times Popcast.

The Swedish rapper first discussed his longstanding working relationship with Scott, whom he’s known for years, before transitioning into his brief rendezvous with Ye, who has been criticized for his repeated antisemitic hate speech.

“Kanye is mentally ill,” Lean said plainly. “I’ve been there and I feel for him, and I think all this stuff that he says about Jewish people — my grandfather was Jewish … I don’t know, I can’t defend him, but it’s a mentally ill person who still did ‘Flashing Lights.’ … I haven’t seen him for a long time now, ‘cause it’s too much. I can’t really be around it.”

Lean went on to describe a dinner he had with Ye about three years ago, calling the experience positive. He explained how the vibe felt positive then, but noted that things shifted the next time he saw the embattled rapper.

“I mean, when I was alone with him like three years ago and we just had dinner, it was lovely,” Lean shared. “It was fun. It was like two kids sharing ideas, and he has a big heart, and you can tell that it’s all good. But then, the next time I saw him, I could feel that the vibe had gone darker, and then the tweets started coming. It was too much.”

He elaborated on his feelings about his involvement with Ye.

“I mean, the public s—t, I don’t really care too much about, but I just felt like, ‘Oh, I’m being dragged into something that I’ve been dragged into myself. And the best thing I could do is not, you know, make a song with this man. It’s more like, ‘I’ve been manic, too, I’ve been psychotic. Lithium works, this works.’ But he’s not going to listen to anyone. And that’s his thing.”

Lean also refuted claims that bipolar disorder stifles creativity. He argued that without medication, bipolar creatives were just “sloppy.”

“You can really be bipolar on medication and still be super creative,” Lean said. “I’m not saying I have it figured out, but right now I feel very close.”

Lean had been spotted with Ye and Bianca Censori last year at Disneyland. Despite rumors of a potential collaboration, nothing ultimately came to fruition.

Check out Yung Lean’s interview with Popcast below.