Friday on ESPN’s “First Take,” co-host Stephen A. Smith slammed rapper Kanye West’s comments about slavery during an interview with TMZ.

“When you hear about slavery for 400 years. For 400 years?! That sounds like a choice. Like, you were there for 400 years and it’s all of you all? Like, we’re mentally in prison,” West said Tuesday.

According to Smith, what West said is the “most ignorant thing” he has ever heard “from the mouth of an African-American.”

“It is disgraceful, it is abhorrent, it is repulsive, it’s an insult to our ancestors what this man said,” Smith said of Kanye’s remarks. “To imply, to state matter of factually that ancestors who were raped, maimed, murdered, that that was by choice is one of, if not the greatest insult to black people I have ever heard come out of the mouth of a black person. I’m ashamed of Kanye West and what he said.”

Smith went on to say that Kanye “needs prayer” and “help.”

“I don’t know what has happened to Kanye West. I don’t know what is wrong with this brother. But, what he said was so incredibly, incredibly insulting to African-Americans and black people the world over that the ultimate emotion that rakes through my soul is sadness. Sadness that this brother would feel the need to say what he said,” stated Smith.

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