John Legend is responding with grace — and a touch of humor — to Kanye West's latest jab, in which the rapper claimed the singer "smells like mashed potatoes."
During a recent appearance on Ebro in the Morning on Hot 97, Legend addressed the unusual remark made by West in an interview with DJ Akademiks.
The Grammy-winning singer and songwriter didn't shy away from reacting to the insult, which has since gone viral online.
"He was very obsessed with the sweaters, and he said I smell like mashed potatoes," Legend said with a laugh. "What kind of potatoes? Cheesy, garlic? ... All of it makes me sad, though. All of it does. And it's not for me, because obviously, I smell great."
Though amused by the comment, Legend took a more reflective tone as the conversation shifted toward his past relationship with West.
Once close collaborators on multiple projects — including West's acclaimed My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and Legend's early career under G.O.O.D. Music — the two have publicly drifted apart in recent years.
"Being a part of that was inspiring," Legend said of their early collaborations. "It was truly inspiring. That's why it's sad now. We did amazing things together as a collective, as a movement. ... To be part of that was amazing. I have no regrets. Even though he's gone, like, completely left now, I'm so glad that we did what we did together."
West's "mashed potatoes" remark sparked confusion and memes across social media, with fans unsure whether it was meant as an insult or a surreal compliment.
The two artists have had a strained relationship in recent years, often disagreeing publicly on politics and personal values.
Legend's appearance on Hot 97 also comes ahead of his highly anticipated feature on Clipse's upcoming album, Let God Sort 'Em Out.
He'll appear on the track "The Birds Don't Sing," which was previewed during Louis Vuitton's Spring/Summer 2024 Men's Collection show.
The album, set for release on July 11, features collaborations with Kendrick Lamar, Nas, Pharrell Williams, and others.
Despite the odd insult from his former mentor, Legend made it clear he holds no grudges.
"It's just sad," he repeated. "But I'm proud of the work we did, and I'm proud of who I am — mashed potatoes or not."
Originally published on Enstarz
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