Rapper Lil B has no shortage of opinions to share.

He broadcasts his thoughts in 140-character-or-less spurts, sometimes dozens of times a day, with his 1.42 million followers on Twitter. TWTR, -0.62% The 28-year-old performer has gained a massive following with his self-released albums and mixtapes and his “based” life philosophy, preaching positivity and tolerance. “Based” is a slang word originally related to drug use that Lil B reclaimed to mean “being yourself,” and “not being scared of what people think about you.”

Releasing music directly to fans, Lil B claims he is worth $15 million today. His online commentary ranges from thoughts on racism to preventing nuclear war and putting curses on players he doesn’t like in the National Basketball Association. Lately, his tweets have taken a turn toward financial commentary, as he condemns capitalism — a system he called “disturbing” in a recent tweet — and calls for universal health care.

MarketWatch talked with the Bay Area rapper by phone:

MarketWatch: Can you tell me about your relationship with money?

Lil B: Growing up low income and poor, I didn’t have the best relationship with money. I did not inherit any money, I didn’t have a big family — my parents were working class and struggling. So everything I learned about money has been from trial and error, learning from mentors, and staying away from snakes.

MarketWatch: You tweeted that you found capitalism ‘disturbing.’

Lil B: My perspective of capitalism growing up in Berkeley, Calif. in a low-income project, growing up poor, is that capitalism wanted to destroy me, they wanted me to become a worker.

I came in the gate as an African-American poor kid wanting to be a neurosurgeon but — with American life and the places I was put due to American history and laws and the oppression of black people — I had to make it work in other ways. The system was never made for black people to win. When it comes to the law, and to American society, you have to go above and beyond to prove you are a fit citizen out here when you’re black.

Also the people that are reading this story on MarketWatch, please talk to me — if you have something you want to tell me about capitalism and you want to give me your viewpoint, I’m open to hear about it.

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MarketWatch: Do you consider yourself anti-capitalist?

Lil B: I can’t say that; I want to experience this capitalism. This whole time I have been doing this out of love. I put out free music, I don’t sell official merchandise. But for me, capitalism is just slavery. I am an owner, I can sign someone to work for me, and for me that is slavery.

When I became a property owner, there was a 60-year-old [tenant] who looked like -- what’s that guy’s name again? He looked like Newt Gingrich. And he was paying below market rent and I let him stay and gave him money to help him move.

Nobody ever did that for me, but I did it because I want him to be OK. Because I came from the struggle, I help him out. All I can think of is my experience as a young African-American real-estate investor. I take care of my tenants because I have been through the struggle.

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MarketWatch: So do you want to succeed within capitalism or do you want to dismantle it in favor of a different system?

Lil B: I don’t want to change it. I just want to learn about it and I want to bring my love into it. If the white folks feel America is great for everybody, I don’t want to change what they love. All I want is to bring my love and respect in the areas of law, policy, business, and banking. That’s what I do when I do my extremely rare lectures at universities.

That is what I say on my new mixtape: We are not in competition, we need to relax. We can make America great and better collectively as a people.

I respect my president and his cabinet, I respect the far right, I respect Fox News, I respect it. But we’ve got to come together and we have to make sure folks have love around them. Jared Kushner needs my love. Trump’s son needs my love and empathy. [Editor’s note: Fox News-parent 21st Century Fox and MarketWatch-parent News Corp. share common ownership.]

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MarketWatch: What do you think is the most pressing financial issue facing us today?

Lil B: We need to focus on black economics, and people need to not be scared to say we are going to focus on black people. They are in a different position growing up poor. I hear people say if you work harder or if you are smarter you‘ll be successful — but they’ve never had the government against them like it is against black people.

We need to be focusing on black children and telling them they can be entrepreneurs. Not every black child should grow up to be a worker. Take it from a black person that loves y’all. Look how I came out, I am a global person. America is what gave me my love and has given me my chance.

MarketWatch: Do you believe in reparations for black Americans?

Lil B: I do, and obviously white people are going to be mad at that because everybody is money hungry. But black people need reparations. They need education systems, black people need real estate. Even if you don’t give black people reparations give them real estate with no property taxes.That will give folks a chance.

MarketWatch: Who would you like to see run for president?

Lil B: Michael Dyson. [Editor’s note: Dyson is professor of sociology at Georgetown University.] Anybody that has true empathy that really loves and really trying to be there for the people. Somebody needs to focus on black people — even Obama couldn’t really put it out there and say this is for black people — he was walking a fine line.

MarketWatch: Would you ever run for office?

Lil B: I don’t think so. I got into rap to get away from the gangsters in the hood and I think being in office would be getting back to the gangsters in the hood.

(This interview has been edited and condensed for style and space.)