"George Bush doesn't care about black people", Kayne West says

Kayne West has recently attacked the U.S president George Bush for his attitude towards the New Orleans crisis. The rapper-producer, who was taking part in an NBC live telethon for the victims of Hurricane Katrina,spoke out about the treatment of the black people in the disaster.

"I hate the way they treat us in the media, when you see a black family it says they're looting when you see a white family it says they're looking for food," West confessed.

The singer, who recently used the video for his 'Diamonds From Sierra Leon' single to highlight the suffering caused by conflict diamonds and the human rights abuses that occur in mining them, thinks that "George Bush doesn't care about black people".

In his opinion, America is set up "to help the poor, the black people, the less well-off as slow as possible", Billboard reports.

Kayne West, who was not scheduled to perform, but to read from the scripts prepared by the network about the impact of Katrina on southern Louisiana and Mississippi, praised the Red Cross for doing "everything they can".

I hate the way they portray us in the media. You see a black family, it says, "They're looting." You see a white family, it says, "They're looking for food." And, you know, it's been five days [waiting for federal help] because most of the people are black. And even for me to complain about it, I would be a hypocrite because I've tried to turn away from the TV because it's too hard to watch. I've even been shopping before even giving a donation, so now I'm calling my business manager right now to see what is the biggest amount I can give, and just to imagine if I was down there, and those are my people down there. So anybody out there that wants to do anything that we can help -- with the way America is set up to help the poor, the black people, the less well-off, as slow as possible. I mean, the Red Cross is doing everything they can. We already realize a lot of people that could help are at war right now, fighting another way -- and they've given them permission to go down and shoot us!

NBC has quickly distanced itself from West, while some American commentators attacked his comments.

According to an official statement issued by the network, Kanye West departed from the scripted comments that were prepared for him, and his opinions in no way represent the views of the networks. It would be most unfortunate if the efforts of the artists who participated tonight and the generosity of millions of Americans who are helping those in need are overshadowed by one person's opinion.