Kim Kardashian Says She No Longer Has the ‘Energy’ to Be Kanye West’s ‘Cleanup Crew’

For the better part of the last decade, Grammy-winning rapper Kanye West has become as defined by his problematic antics as he is by his world-class talent. In the June 1 episode of Hulu’s The Kardashians, Kim Kardashian, who divorced Ye in 2021 after seven years of marriage, vented to her mother, Kris Jenner, about the stress and frustration she felt around her ex-husband’s hurtful and conspiratorial claims about her and her family.

The episode picks up where the May 25 season premiere left off, with the reality star saying, “Even how he looks so down on me for my sex tape, brings it up all over town, all over the media. Like, thanks for reminding people once again.” She continued, “All of his shenanigans is gonna be far more damaging to the kids one day than my tape will ever be, and I have to sit here and not say anything, ever, because I know one day my kids will appreciate that. And I know that is the best thing for them.”

Kanye and Kim share four children: North, 9; Saint, 7; Chicago, 5; and Psalm, 4. For Kim, who is set to star in the latest installment of FX’s American Horror Story, protecting their children is her primary concern. In a teary confessional, the SKIMS mogul shared, “I still feel the need to not talk about it and protect it from my kids and I always will feel that way, but God, if people knew … I just would never do that to my kids. It just is really crazy.”

From praising Hitler to revealing deeply intimate details about his marriage to crowds at political rallies, the “Off the Grid” rapper has kept his family in the headlines while simultaneously muddying his reputation and credibility. “Sometimes I feel like if he were to hit rock bottom, that’s his journey that he needs to figure out on his own. I used to run around and call everyone behind his back, and be like, ‘It’s gonna be OK, it’s gonna be OK, don’t worry. Just give him another chance,'” Kim expressed in the episode. “I used to spend hours and hours and hours of my day to be the cleanup crew. I just don’t have that energy.”

When her mother questioned if their children are aware of the drama, Kim responded, “[North] actually doesn’t know and that’s what’s so crazy. When stuff is said, it’s a chain to my whole household. No TV, only Apple TV. I can’t risk an Access Hollywood … or anything on the news coming up with their dad mentioned and they want to watch.” She added, “I have to figure out a way to protect and so they still haven’t seen anything, but then I go into crisis mode.”

In a final confessional on the topic, Kardashian, who was ruled legally single on March 2 of last year, noted: “I’m the one being accused of so many things and being blamed for so many things and it’s really hurtful and it sucks. But, I can control how I react and I can control if I’m a mess, [and] then my kids will see that … I really do believe in my soul that one day, my kids will appreciate my silence, my understanding and my grace, and I will try my hardest to keep it together at all times.”

Kanye “Ye” West has earned four chart-toppers on the Billboard Hot 100 and 10 No. 1 titles on the Billboard 200 including Graduation, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and Donda.