will.i.am has claimed friend and peer Kanye West has 'thrown his ancestors under the bus' after he made comments that slavery was a 'choice'.

The Voice judge, 43, broke down with emotion and admitted he 'wanted to cry' when he saw his friend's latest tweet, while discussing the 40-year-old rapper's recent Twitter tirade during an appearance on Wednesday's episode of Good Morning Britain.

In an impassioned rant, Will claimed Kanye was 'ignorant' and that his remarks were 'harmful', adding that he believed the star's recent controversial spree of tweets is merely a marketing tool to promote his new music.

Emotional: will.i.am broke down candidly discussing Kanye West 's recent twitter tirade during an appearance on Wednesday's episode of Good Morning Britain

Kanye has been widely criticised after an appearance on Tuesday's TMZ Live, when he said: 'When you hear about slavery for 400 years … for 400 years? That sounds like a choice' later reiterating the comment in a series of tweets.

The star has been at the centre of much controversy with his recent outspoken tweets, and has been forced to use bodyguards after rapper Daz Dillinger called on gangsters to attack the star.

Will hit back at Kanye's slavery remarks, admitting: 'That broke my heart... my grandmother's grandma, who was a slave. And when you're a slave, you're owned. You don't choose if you're owned. When you're a slave you're deprived of education. That's not choice, that's by force...'

Referring to Kanye's upcoming album, which is set to be released on 2 June and titled LOVE EVERYONE, Will added: 'I hope it's not to raise awareness so you could sell some records and some shoes, because that would be the worst thing to do, to stir up this very touchy race situation and you be the benefactor from it.

'So I encourage you, if you really believe this, give your shoes away for free, give your album away for free.'

Controversial: The Voice judge, 43, admitted he 'wanted to cry' discussing his friend's latest tweet, in which Kanye West had claimed that slavery was a 'choice'

Shocking: In an impassioned rant that garnered plenty of online support, Will claimed Kanye, 40, was 'ignorant' and that his remarks were 'harmful'

Claiming that Kanye is 'ignorant', Will also said: 'So I understand the need to have free thought, but if your thoughts aren't researched, that is just going to hurt those that are still in conditions where it's not choice...

'That when they go down the street and there's a liqueur store and fast-food restaurants and your education is not being funded the same way that it is being in Calabasas, when governments stifle and limit the amount of money that goes to Chicago, Bronx, Watts, 5th Ward Mississippi, East Los Angeles, where I'm from.'

He added: 'That statement was one of the most ignorant statements that anybody who came from the hood could ever say about their ancestors, that slavery is a choice. What are you talking about.'

Unrecognisable: Revealing that he knows Kanye, but doesn't understand what's going on, Will continued: 'To me, that's a different person that's saying that

Adding that although they were friends, he could no longer recognise Kanye as being the same person, he continued: 'To me, that's a different person that's saying that... And I don't like talking about going against my community, but that is harmful.'

He concluded: 'I will not throw my ancestors under the bus to profit.'

As Piers agreed with Will's comments, the broadcaster added: 'I know you were wary about saying this in public but I hope Kanye listens to it.'

Will, who looked close to tears, reasoned: 'If he listens or not. We're talking about it. With so many real issues in the world... It makes me want to cry talking about that.'

MailOnline has contacted Kanye's representatives for comment.

Twitter tirade: The emotional speech came after Kanye defended himself for suggesting that 400 years of slavery 'sounds like a choice' - in a lengthy twitter rant

The emotional speech came after Kanye defended himself for suggesting that 400 years of slavery 'sounds like a choice', saying: 'We can't be mentally imprisoned for another 400 years.'

WHO WAS HARRIET TUBMAN? Harriet Tubman, who was born into slavery in the early part of the 19th century. She escaped from her captors in Maryland and fled to Philadelphia but returned again and again to rescue her family. Tubman made 13 missions to rescue around seventy slaves, using the network of antislavery activists and safe houses known as the Underground Railroad to transport other slaves to freedom. She later helped abolitionist John Brown recruit men for his raid on Harpers Ferry. During the Civil War, she worked as an armed scout and spy for the Army. After the Civil War, Tubman, who died in 1913, became active in the campaign for women's suffrage. Advertisement

The rapper also likened himself to 19th century African-American abolitionist Harriet Tubman in a series of tweets, and said he was being attacked 'for presenting new ideas'.

Tubman was born into slavery in the early part of the 19th century but managed to escape her captors in Maryland before returning to rescue her family.

Kanye attracted criticism - and even threats of violence against him - after saying during an interview with TMZ Live: 'When you hear about slavery for 400 years … for 400 years? That sounds like a choice.

'Like, you was there for 400 years and it's all of y'all? It's like we're mentally in prison. I like the word prison because slavery goes too direct to the idea of blacks. It's like slavery, Holocaust. Holocaust, Jews. Slavery is blacks.

'So, prison is something that unites us as one race. Blacks and whites being one race. We're the human race.'

Pleading for peace: Will, who looked close to tears, reasoned: ' If he listens or not. We're talking about it. With so many real issues in the world... It makes me want to cry talking about that'

Speaking out: Piers Morgan praised will.i.am for his powerful speech about the tweets

Hitting back: Will also offered to make a donation in Kanye's name after the tweets in order to help young people who don't have the same privileges

Following the interview, Kanye took to Twitter and said: 'We need to have open discussions and ideas on unsettled pain.'

He added: 'To make myself clear – of course I know that slaves did not get shackled and put on a boat by free will.

WHO WAS NAT TURNER? Nat Turner, born in 1800, led a slave rebellion in Southampton County, Virginia on August 21, 1831. Rebels went from plantation to plantation, freeing and recruiting dozens of black people and killing sixty white men, women and children. Turner went into hiding after the rebellion, while a white militia responded with mobs killing 120 black people - many of whom were not involved in the rebellion. Two months later, aged 31, Turner was found, tried, convicted and sentenced to death, and hanged. Advertisement

'My point is, for us to have stayed in that position even though the numbers were on our side means that we were mentally enslaved.

'They cut out our tongues so we couldn't communicate to each other.

'I will not allow my tongue to be cut.'

The Gold Digger star said that 'if this was 148 years ago I would have been more like Harriet or Nat', referring to Tubman and also Nat Turner, an American slave who led a rebellion to free slaves in the 19th century but was ultimately killed.

Kanye continued: 'The reason why I brought up the 400 years point is because we can't be mentally imprisoned for another 400 years.

'We need free thought now. Even the statement was an example of free thought. It was just an idea.'

Kanye's comments during the interview sparked an immediate response from TMZ writer Van Lathan, who was seen confronting the music star in a snippet posted online.

Kanye, who recently returned to Twitter after an absence and declared his support for US President Donald Trump, was shouting across the office: 'Do you feel that I'm feeling… do you feel that I'm being free and I'm thinking free?'

Confused: Will said 'I hope it's not to raise awareness so you could sell some records, that would be the worst thing to do, to stir up this very touchy race situation and be the benefactor'

Lathan stood up and told him: 'I think what you're doing right now is actually the absence of thought.

'Kanye, you're entitled to your opinion … You're entitled to believe whatever you want, but there is fact and real world, real life consequence behind everything you just said.'

He continued: 'And while you are making music and being an artist and living the life that you've earned by being a genius, the rest of us in society have to deal with these threats to our lives.

'We have to deal with the marginalisation that has come from the 400 years of slavery that you said for our people was a choice.

Lathan said he was 'disappointed', adding: 'I am unbelievably hurt by the fact that you have morphed into something, to me, that is not real.'

Lashing out: Will concluded: 'I will not throw my ancestors under the bus to profit'

During his chat with TMZ, Kanye also admitted developing an addiction to opiods after secretly having liposuction in 2016.

Saying he underwent the procedure so he didn't get called 'fat' like Rob Kardashian, the rapper hit out at the medical industry for starting his addiction.

KANYE'S ADDICTION TO OPIODS Kanye West admitted he was addicted to opioids before he was hospitalised in 2016 Said he started taking the pills after having liposuction because he didn't want to be called 'fat like Rob [Kardashian]' Kanye's Pablo tour was cut short in November 2016 due to his hospitalization At the height of his addiction he was taking seven pills a day The rapper's mother Donda died in 2007 from complications after undergoing plastic surgery


'I was drugged the f*** out bro,' said Kanye of his December 2016 meeting with President Trump. 'I was on opioids... I was addicted to opioids.'

He explained he started taking the prescription-only painkillers after having plastic surgery, revealing: 'I had plastic surgery because I was trying to look for y'all. I got liposuction because I didn't want y'all to call me fat just like y'all did to Rob at the wedding and made him fly home before me and Kim got married.

'I didn't want y'all to call me fat so I got liposuction and they gave me opioids.'

Kanye's beloved mother Donda West died in 2007 of complications after undergoing plastic surgery, including liposuction.

After his surgery, Kanye got hooked to the opioid pills, taking two a day, and at the height of his addiction was having seven pills a day.

Kanye's recent comments have proved to be controversial, and among those criticising Kanye were his friend, musician John Legend, who retweeted a post that read: 'Kanye's rhetoric continues to fuel the racist right-wing folks who believe that black people are responsible for their oppression.'

The star was also forced to use bodyguards as he went for dinner in LA on Monday just hours after a fellow rapper called on gangsters to 'f**k him up'.

Daz Dillinger, a former member of Snoop Dogg's Tha Dog Pound duo, put out a 'Crip alert' on Instagram on Sunday, calling on members of the notorious gang to attack Kanye for supporting President Trump.

'National alert. All the Crips out there, y'all f*** Kanye up. You see that motherf*****, f*** his ass up on GP,' Daz said, using an acronym for 'general principal'.

Better not ever see you in concert. Better not ever see you around the LBC (Long Beach). Better not ever see you around California.'

Mentioning the city where West lives, Dillinger said: 'Stay in Calabasas, ya hear me? 'Cuz we got a Crip alert for Kanye. All the Crips out there - you see him, bang on his ass, f**k his ass up. '

Whilst Kanye has come under attack from several high profile friends and a horde of his fans, his wife Kim Kardashian has continued to support him, sharing on Monday: 'Twitter is such a bette place with @kanyewest on here [heart eyes emoji].'