30 January 2024 , 12:55
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Kanye West should issue an urgent public apology after an explosive run-in with the paparazzi, according to a leading celebrity publicity expert.
The Bound 2 rapper lashed out at a female reporter from TMZ after she asked him if his wife Bianca Censori had any "free will" following her near-naked snaps shared on Ye's social media pages. The comment didn't go down well, and it led to Kanye launching into an expletive-filled rant at the journalist before snatching her mobile phone.
With the entire and lengthy ordeal caught on camera, PR professionals tell The Mirror that the incident is going to have "detrimental effects" on Kanye's personal brand. If once wasn't enough, Ye went in for round two when snappers surrounded him on the same day. He began yelling at the same reporter again, who had returned with a heavy camera.
READ MORE: Kanye West hits out at female reporter during furious bust-up in alarming video
He was questioned over his posts featuring Bianca (kanyewest/Instagram)After watching both incidents, celebrity manager Mayah Riaz revealed her "concern" in an exclusive sit down with The Mirror. "If I was handling his PR, my priority would be for damage control," the PR to the stars explained. "Not only is snatching a phone from a reporter and publicly patronising her inappropriate behaviour, but it also reflects poorly on Kanye's personal brand and public image," Mayah explained after the run-in on Monday.
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"Kanye is already known for his controversial and unpredictable actions, but this incident may further reinforce negative perceptions of him. It contributes to the perception that he is volatile, impulsive, and difficult to work with. This could potentially alienate some of his fan base and damage his reputation within in the industry."
Mayah reckons Ye's chances of a collaboration with members of the press, including TMZ, are now extremely unlikely. "This incident could make some media outlets and reporters hesitant to work with him," she explained. "If reporters feel that they may be subjected to such behaviour or fear backlash from covering Kanye, they may be less inclined to engage with him, which from some outlets could result in diminished press opportunities."
Analysing the clips, Riaz noted a member of Kanye's crew attempts to diffuse the situation following the first run-in with the paparazzi. Kanye was on his way to support pal Charlie Wilson while he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Monday.
Kanye snapper at the reporter asking questions (Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)"We saw someone from Kanye’s team trying to intervene to diffuse the situation and move him away. When that failed she attempted to speak to the reporter for her to move away. Kanye’s PR team needs to address this situation immediately," Mayah said.
"This would be in the form of issuing a public statement to express regret and Kanye apologising for his behaviour. They would need to convey that this incident does not reflect his true character and that he understands the inappropriateness of his actions."
Mayah went on to suggest that Ye's team should encourage him to "seek counselling or anger management". She explained: "By doing this, it could help mitigate the negative impact on his personal brand. Moving forward, it would be crucial for Kanye to maintain a more composed and respectful demeanour in public."
She added: "Kanye's behaviour hadn't changed after the event. We don’t know whether his team spoke to him or not - I imagine they would have due it being recorded by others and would be made very public. This shows that Kanye doesn’t necessarily listen to others and does what he wants to do. Making the job for his PR team even more challenging."
Mayah concluded her analysis, saying: "However, only consistency in change of his behaviour will show that he is truly changing. It will require a genuine effort to make amends which is crucial in restoring his personal brand."
The Mirror has contacted Ye's representatives for comment.