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Lil Wayne Walks Out of Interview, Addresses Black Lives Matter: "I Don't Feel Connected"

Wayne appeared on ABC's 'Nightline' to discuss his career and previous comments on race.

Last night, ABC's Nightline aired a segment on Lil Wayne called Wayne's World. It includes several interviews with the rapper dating back to 2013, when he first invited reporter Linsey Davis to his home skate park. The segment features information on Wayne's rise to superstardom and examines his career since serving eight months in New York's Riker's Island prison in 2010, discussing his recently released memoir and his legal disputes with Cash Money. Davis asks Wayne questions about his loves of weed and skating, but these lighthearted topics give way, later in the segment, to questions about race.

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Late in the interview, Davis asked Wayne about a comment he made in September on the Fox Sports debate show Undisputed in which the rapper gave reasons as to why he thought racism did not exist. Wayne told Davis he stands by that comment. When Davis asked for Wayne's thoughts about the Black Lives Matter movement, he answered, "What is it? What do you mean?" before saying "It just sounds weird, I don't know, that you put a name on it. It's not a name. It's not whatever whatever. It's somebody got shot by police and for a fucked up reason."

He went on to say that his own riches are proof that America understand that Black lives do matter. He continued: "I don't feel connected to a damn thing that ain't got nothing to do with me," before pulling out a red bandana and saying, "I'm a gangbanger, ma'am. I'm connected," and walking out of the interview. He added "I ain't no fucking politician."

ABC promoted the interview on social media by emphasizing Wayne's quotes about Black Lives Matter.

The comments prompted immediate response  and widespread backlash on social media, where fans expressed disappointment and confusion. Several noted that in August, while performing at a Tidal concert, Lil Wayne shouted "Black Lives Matter​" on stage.​​​

Watch the watch full interview on ABC​.

Photo: Screengrab of interview via ABC

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