Jay-Z backs Kanye West’s telethon outburst

LOS ANGELES - Rap mogul Jay-Z is standing behind Kanye West, who went off-script to declare that “George Bush doesn’t care about black people” during his appearance in last Friday’s NBC telethon for Hurricane Katrina victims.

“I’m backing Kanye 100 percent,” Jay-Z told Billboard by phone from London. “This is America. You should be able to say what you want to say. We have freedom of speech.”

Jay-Z is also West’s boss in his capacity as president/CEO of Def Jam Recordings. West’s new album, “Late Registration,” opened at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 Wednesday.

During his Friday appearance, West added that America was set up “to help the poor, the black people, the less well-off as slow as possible.”

Slide show   The week in celebrity sightings Jolie and Pitt back in the USA, Miley jumps for joy at Sweet 16th, the Boss backs Obama and more. more photos

Jay-Z said he shared some of West’s views. “It’s really numbing,” he said. “You can’t believe it’s happening in America. You wonder, what’s going on? Why were people so slow to react? I don’t understand it.”

Although Jay-Z said he hasn’t “spoken to anyone about doing a concert event” to benefit Katrina victims, he says he wants to speak with Sean “Diddy” Combs about starting a fund exclusively to help blacks in times of crisis. “Just in case anything like this happens in the future, we can do what the elder Bush and (former President Bill) Clinton are doing for our people specifically.”

MORE FROM KATRINA HITS ENTERTAINMENT

Katrina hits entertainment Section Front

Stars gather for Mississippi benefit Preservation Hall Jazz Band reunites in NYC Katrina jazz concert strikes political tone Jackson speaks out for first time since trial After Katrina, the laughs start to return The Game gives Bentley for Katrina relief ‘Idol’ finalists end concert tour with benefit Marsalis: New Orleans will rebuild Douglas Brinkley to write Katrina book U2, other stars offer ‘Shelter’ for victims Katrina hits entertainment Section Front   Add Katrina hits entertainment headlines to your news reader: