Kanye West recently released his new studio album "Yeezus," and though it has been met with praise and glowing reviews by critics, a number of U.K. Parkison's disease organizations find the lyrics in one his songs distasteful and offensive, according to The Independent.
The song under fire is "On Sight," which features the lyrics: "Soon as I pull up and park the Benz/We get this b**** shaking like Parkinson's," referring to involuntary shaking, one of the symptoms of the disease.
"Kanye West has shown an inexcusable level of stupidity and cruelty towards people living with an incurable condition," Steve Ford, chief executive of Parkinson's UK, said to BBC News. "Life with Parkinson's is difficult enough without becoming fodder for insensitive celebrities who should know better, looking for their next big hit.
People with Parkinson's have to cope with intolerable social discrimination on a daily basis - often to the point where they are afraid to go out in public - and this sort of thoughtless, callous comment can only serve to make things even worse for them."
Ford wasn't the only one who took offensive to West's lyrics. Kathryn Whitford, Vice President of the American Parkinson Disease Association, spoke with HipHollywood about her views on the new track. "It's so stereotypical," she told the music site. "People with Parkinson's aren't just walking around and shaking. It shows that people don't understand the disease, and it's really a sign of ignorance."
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative neurological condition that attacks the part of the brain that controls movement. The disease can affect speech, language and facial expressions, and there is currently no cure.
West isn't the first artist to create controversy over referencing it in lyrics. Eminem rapped about the disease in "Won't Back Down," and Snoop Lion, formerly known as Snoop Dogg, sang about it in "Eyez Closed."
