The 'Slavery Was a Choice' meme stems from a highly controversial interview Kanye West gave at the TMZ offices in May 2018. During the live segment, West commented on the duration of American slavery, suggesting that its 400-year span implied a level of mental imprisonment or 'choice' by those enslaved. The statement sparked immediate backlash from the public and his fellow interviewees, most notably TMZ's Van Lathan. In internet culture, the template is frequently used to satirize situations where someone suggests a complex or systemic problem is actually a simple personal decision. It has become a shorthand for 'hot takes' that are perceived as being wildly out of touch with historical reality or common sense.