With his love of tunic-like tees and adventurous looks, it’s not surprising that J Balvin appreciates Kanye West’s aesthetic. Balvin’s even known to wear Yeezys – Kanye’s sneaker line under the Adidas umbrella – before they hit market. But during an appearance at Stadium Goods for Complex’s Sneaker Shopping, J talked about feeling disappointed after learning that ‘Ye met with President Donald Trump. “I didn’t want to buy more Yeezys when I saw that,” he said. “I don’t know, I respect Kanye, but when it comes to Trump, I’m not into that, man. Like I basically stopped wearing Yeezys. I was upset, super sad, extra super sad.”
After meeting with Trump in December, Kanye defended himself in a series of tweets, explaining that he wanted to discuss “multicultural issues,” including bullying, modernizing curriculums, and violence in Chicago. When Trump announced his presidency over the summer two years ago, he called Mexicans rapists, thieves, and criminals. This led Balvin to very famously back out of the the then-Trump owned Miss USA pageant shortly after. He became one of the first celebrities to boycott Trump, which set off a chain reaction of networks and companies cutting ties with the xenophobic candidate.
At the time, Balvin told Billboard, “It was going to be my first performance on national [mainstream] television. But we’re talking about our roots, our culture, our values. This isn’t about being punitive, but about showing leadership through social responsibility. His comments weren’t just about Mexicans, but about all Latins in general.”
This decision meant putting his principles ahead of his career, and two years later, he remains dedicated to taking a stand against Trump. Since filming Sneaker Shopping, West has seemingly recanted his support for Trump – he deleted his messages about meeting the president.
The rest of Balvin’s sneaker shopping expedition is lighthearted. He discussed how his US-based family helped keep his style fresh with a rotation of Air Force 1, Air Jordan 1, and other trendy sneakers, as well as the fact that he stocks his closet with shoes ranging in sizes 7 to 12. Check out the entire video below: