Claim: Rapper Kanye West said he is a “proud non-reader of books.”
 | TRUE |
Example: [Collected via e-mail, February 2015]
Did Kanye West actually say:
“Sometimes people write novels and they just be so wordy and so
self-absorbed. I am not a fan of books. I would never want a book’s
autograph. I am a proud non-reader of books.”
Origins: On
Among West’s collected quotes, one in particular stood out. It concerned Kanye’s feelings on the matter of books and reading in general, and many readers questioned whether the quote was genuine:
Sometimes people write novels and they just be so wordy and so self-absorbed. I am not a fan of books. I would never want a book’s autograph. I am a proud non-reader of books.
After interest in the comment attributed to West was revived, it appeared on a number of memes that circulated via Facebook. The remarks were indeed correctly attributed (though lacking context) and dated to a 2009 Reuters article about the publication of a book penned by West:
West’s derision of books comes despite the fact that his late mother, Donda West, was a university English professor before she retired to manage his music career. She died in 2007 of complications following cosmetic surgery. “Sometimes people write novels and they just be so wordy and so self-absorbed,” West said. “I am not a fan of books. I would never want a book’s autograph. “I am a proud non-reader of books. I like to get information from doing stuff like actually talking to people and living real life,” he said.
Rapper Kanye West does not read books or respect them but nevertheless he has written one that he would like you to buy and read.
Last updated: 20 February 2015
 | Sources: |
Egan, Mark. “‘Proud Non-Reader’ Kanye West Turns Author.”
Reuters. 5 May 2009. Ramsdale, Susannah. “21 Kanye West Quotes That Completely Baffled Us.”
Marie Claire. 13 February 2015.