Musician Will.i.am says he is heartbroken by comments Kanye West made about slavery during a live television interview on TMZ .

The former Black Eyed Peas frontman was one of many celebrities who are voicing their outrage after Kanye said he felt that 400 years of slavery "sound[ed] like 'a choice.'"

In an interview with Good Morning Britain, Will.i.am explained that the comment made him think of his own family, which includes direct ancestors who were enslaved.

West's comments have stirred widespread anger, particularly among friends and colleagues of the Chicago native, who are now using their own social media platforms to call Kanye out.

Filmmaker Ava DuVernay, who is behind films including Selma and Disney's A Wrinkle in Time called his statements "ignorant." The Emmy winner also took particular exception to Kanye's use of a lynching metaphor, in reference to the backlash he was facing.

In one tweet, the rapper said "[T]hey cut out our tongues so we couldn't communicate to each other. I will not allow my tongue to be cut. They hung the most powerful in order to force fear into the others."

Duvernay responded with a series of tweets highlighting the horrors faced by black people who were actually lynched in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

Film and television director Spike Lee also took to his Instagram page, posting a photo of himself with Kanye along with a caption that read in part, "My Brother, OUR Ancestors Did Not Choose To Be Stolen From Mother Africa. OUR Ancestors Did Not Choose To Be Ripped Of Our Religion, Language, Culture."

"P.S.," he later concluded. "Your Retraction Does Not Undue The Harm You Cause To Our Beloved ANCESTORS. WAKE UP."

But in the midst of the uproar, the most talked-about response came immediately following Kanye's rant, right there at TMZ's television studios in Los Angeles — and it wasn't from a celebrity.

TMZ staffer Van Lathan fired back at Kanye, citing the real-life consequences that many black people in America face today as a direct result of slavery — a reality, Lathan suggests, that Kanye is somewhat impervious to due to his wealth and status.

Kanye seemed to apologize to Lathan, saying he didn't mean to hurt his feelings.

He further clarified his comments several hours Later on Twitter, sharing what he says he really meant, but has since deleted those tweets.

West's slavery statement is just the latest in stream of controversial tweets and comments, mostly about his support of U.S. president Donald Trump, that have put the rapper under fire on social media.