Madonna Says Kanye West Is the ‘Black Madonna’

Kanye West may be the subject of numerous think pieces criticizing his every move, especially after his revelatory comments following the 2015 Grammy Awards, but one of his fellow artists has nothing but high praise for the "Stronger" rapper. Madonna declared Kanye "the new Madonna" and "the black Madonna" in a recent interview promoting her upcoming album, Rebel Heart.

Speaking with the New York Daily News, Madonna recognized their shared personality traits as well as their similar approaches to controversy. She said the two have even spoken about their "envelope-pushing" ways, saying, "We know, and recognize, that we have that in common. We're comrades in the envelope-pushing genre."

Madonna went on to talk about a side of herself that the public rarely sees -- her vulnerability. She said, "I'm only human. I'd like to get to the point where nothing can shake me. Sometimes I'm there, sometimes I'm not."

She also described the new challenges she faces as an older woman in pop music. She said, "People have always judged me, and given me s--- about one thing or another. Now they're giving me s--- about age. It's bulls---. And mostly I hear it from women. I feel I should be hearing support -- like, ‘Good for you.'" But Madonna believes her continued, dominant presence in the entertainment industry will ultimately help female performers after her. She said, "It’s like everything else. I’m opening doors for women behind me who one day won’t have to deal with this s--- that I deal with.”

And while she certainly has her ups and downs, insecurity-wise, in the end Madonna knows she's a living legend and she totally owns it -- kind of like Kanye. She said, “I earned my stripes. B---, I’m Madonna. And that’s it.”

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