Kanye West ''Grossly Over-Censored'' During Billboard Music Awards Performance: He Was ''Seriously Misrepresented''

"It is ridiculous that in 2015, unwarranted censorship is something that artists still have to fight against," the rapper's rep tells E! News

By Bruna Nessif May 19, 2015 11:20 PMTags
Kanye WestEthan Miller/Getty Images

Mr. West was in the building—kinda.

During the 2015 Billboard Music Awards on Sunday night, fans found themselves struggling to enjoy Kanye West's live performance because it seemed like the entire thing was censored, and as you might expect, Yeezy was not happy about it.

"Kanye West was grossly over-censored at the Billboard Music Awards," the star's rep tells E! News in a statement. "Non-profane lyrics such as 'with my leather black jeans on' were muted for over 30 second intervals. As a result, his voice and performance were seriously misrepresented."

The rep continues, "It is ridiculous that in 2015, unwarranted censorship is something that artists still have to fight against. Although West was clearly set up to face elements beyond his control during the live broadcast, he would like to apologize to the television audience who were unable to enjoy the performance the way he envisioned."

Dr. West took the stage in typical flashy fashion, but the pyrotechnics produced so much smoke it nearly eclipsed the rapper himself. Still, Yeezus launched into an impassioned performance of "All Day" and "Black Skinhead," only, because 'Ye failed to censor himself, the network had to overcompensate, muting out large portions of his rap.

Kanye clearly wasn't thrilled that viewers at home missed out on much of his message, but those inside MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas got to experience the full 'Ye glory as he intended.