As odd as this is — especially given our current political climate, where the Confederate flag gives credence to a group of people who champion white supremacy — Mensa isn't the only rapper to embrace the controversial symbol: Lil' John, Ludacris, and Andre 3000 have all been photographed in some variation of it. And in 2013, Kanye West also tried to reclaim the flag as his own by wearing a bomber jacket with the emblem on the sleeve — and by selling the same piece as concert merch during his Yeezus tour. “React how you want,” West said at the time . “Any energy is good energy. The Confederate flag represented slavery in a way. That’s my abstract take on what I know about it, right? So I wrote the song ‘New Slaves.’ So I took the Confederate flag and made it my flag. It’s my flag now. Now what are you going to do?”