Kanye West Compares Celebrities To Civil Rights, Gives Lawyer "N-Word Hall-Pass" In Paparazzi Beating Deposition

Rapper Kanye West statements from his paparazzi beating incident has gone viral and the rapper claims that celebrities struggle in Los Angeles is equivalent to the Civil Rights movement.

 According to TMZ, Kanye said, "I'm the smartest celebrity you've ever f***ing dealt with. I'm not Britney Spears." 

The "Jesus Walks" rapper told the photographer's lawyer, Nate Goldberg, "I'm in the business of trying to make dope s**t for the world.  You're in the business of representing scums and trying to make as much money as long as there's this lapse in the law."

At one point the rapper grew upset when Goldberg quoted his lyrics from "Flashing Lights" questioning his hatred for the photographers saying, "Till I get flashed by the paparazzi, damn, these ni**as got me."

The 37-year-old warned the lawyer about repeating the n-word despite quoting his lyrics, "You have to ask for a hall pass. You can't just say the 'n' word around me." adding, "It offends me because you're a white person saying 'ni**a.'" he added, "I mean in the '60s people used to hold up 'Die N****r' signs when my parents were in the sit-ins also."  Goldberg asks if he equates the struggle of blacks in the past with celebrities today and Kanye says, "Yes, 100 ... I equate it to discrimination.  I equate it to inequalities."

The rapper added, "We, as group of minorities here in L.A., as celebrities have to ban together to influence guys like this -- guys trying to take the picture, guys trying to get the big win, guys trying to get the check."