Kanye West Says 'Scared' Media Has Demonized Him

Kanye West took over Funkmaster Flex's Hot 97 radio show in New York City on Tuesday, as the rapper held court for five hours dishing on everything from his ex-girlfriends to how he feels he's misunderstood by the media.

"For people to take anything that I'm doing with a negative connotation, people need to look: The glass is half-full or it's half-empty," West said. "Look at what's his reason behind that. If people can look past what the media presents — the media is scared of me. They're scared of a black man with this taste level, [yet] this connection with [rappers] like Pusha T, [Young] Jeezy, [Rick] Ross. So what they'll do, in order to take that power away, they try to turn me into a demon. It happens so many times in history."

West also talked again about his 2009 MTV Video Music Awards incident with Taylor Swift, saying the country star told him she had to "defend him at her grocery store" against critics.

The Chicago lyricist said he perceived that incident with Swift as bigger than the fallout from controversial comments he made about former president George W. Bush. (Bush, for his part, this week characterized West's comments as the low point of his presidency.)

'Ye spoke on an array of topics, from Diplomats Cam'ron and Jim Jones' dis record (he won't respond with one of his own) to the album cover for My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (he plans to pixelate the image) to his host of new artists, including Big Sean and Pusha T of Clipse.

West was boisterous throughout the interview. He appeared to have the most fun addressing the gossip reports stemming from a nude picture purported to be of him that has circulated online. 'Ye responded with humor as he deflected questions from the radio jock.

"Have you heard the first line of 'Runaway'?" he replied. "I only rap reality."

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