Watch 12-Year-Old Kanye West Recite A Poem About Martin Luther King Jr.

Becky Bain | January 17, 2012 12:28 pm

Yesterday we brought you Kanye West rapping at 19-year-old, and today we go even further into the past to 1989, when Lil Yeezy recited a poem he had written about Martin Luther King Jr during a school assembly. We know he was a cutie back in the day — turns out, he was a a gifted writer and a born orator with extremely strong stage presence right from the get-go. Check out this long-lost footage of 12-year-old Kanye West reading his poem “His Name Is Love” below.

Kanye’s poem:

A man who fought for freedom, a man who fought for equality Those who were against him were too blind to see This is what this man fighting for So blacks, Jews, Spanish and Asians can put their foot in the door Yes, we know that this man was great That’s why his name we celebrate And everyone lifts their voices and sing For a man who let freedom ring Martin Luther King is who I’m speaking of A man who’s name means love.”

This vintage footage of Kanye was posted on DDotOmen on Martin Luther King Jr Day, the day after what would have been King’s 83rd birthday.

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