'He Put a Lot of Hate and Malice Out': John Legend Open to Talking to Kanye West but Not Performing

John Legend has indicated that he does not envisage performing with Kanye West in the near future, although he remains open to speaking privately with his former collaborator. During a recent podcast appearance, Legend linked his reluctance to West's public remarks about Jewish and Black communities rather than to a personal dispute.

The two musicians once shared a friendship and worked together on numerous recordings. Their relationship later became more distant amid political differences and controversy over West's statements. Legend indicated that they had not connected personally in years, but he did not rule out a conversation.

John Legend Explains Why He Will Not Perform With Kanye West

'I don't see myself performing with him but I'm happy to talk to him and like just connect on a human level. We haven't done that in years and I'm fine with doing that,' Legend stated.

His distinction was between speaking to West privately and appearing alongside him professionally. He explained that his concerns centred on the effect of West's public statements, not on whether the rapper owed him a personal apology.

'I think what he did in the world is what he needs to worry about and what he needs to atone for because he put a lot of hate and malice out into the world.'

Legend specifically criticised statements directed at Jewish and Black communities. He argued that West needed to demonstrate remorse for the harm he believed those remarks had caused. That concern, rather than comments made about Legend himself, was the reason he did not envisage sharing a stage with West.

The position leaves open the possibility of private contact without suggesting that either musician has agreed to resume working together. Legend did not announce a meeting or identify plans for another collaboration.

John Legend Clarifies Whether Kanye West Has Reached Out

In a separate interview, Legend explained that West had not approached him about meeting or collaborating. He was careful not to present the absence of contact as a rejected invitation.

'He's not reached out to me. So I don't want to act like I've refused to meet up with him or talk with him. But if we did talk, it wouldn't be a public reunion. It would be man-to-man, like a private conversation,' Legend stated.

The singer also addressed his approach to personal forgiveness. Although West had directed some remarks at him, Legend did not regard those comments as the central issue between them.

'I don't have a hard time forgiving anybody personally for any slight — and, you know, he's said a few stray comments about me. But he hasn't done much to harm me, or with the intent to harm me at all.'

His comments left open the possibility of a private exchange, but did not establish whether West wanted one. Nor did Legend suggest that speaking with West would automatically restore their friendship or lead to another performance.

John Legend Weighs Kanye West's Apology

Earlier in 2026, West issued an apology for his antisemitic comments in a full-page newspaper advertisement. Legend described the apology as a possible beginning, but considered it insufficient to address the harm he believed West had caused through his public statements.

For Legend, the question was not whether he personally could forgive West. His concern was whether West had sufficiently acknowledged the impact of his remarks on the wider communities Legend believed West had targeted . He maintained that the rapper's responsibility extended beyond their own relationship.

Their association dates back to when they met through West's cousin, DeVon Harris. They subsequently became friends and collaborated on numerous tracks, establishing a professional history before their political differences and West's public comments widened the distance between them.

Legend's recent comments distinguish a possible private conversation from a public reunion. West had not responded to those remarks at the time of the original report, and neither interview identified any planned meeting between the two musicians.