Van Lathan had never met Kanye West before the rapper showed up at the offices of celebrity news site TMZ on Tuesday and proclaimed that dwelling on slavery is a “choice” for African Americans. But like so many fans, Lathan felt like he already had a relationship with West. A senior producer at the site known for juicy scoops and controversial interviews, Lathan leaned on West’s debut album, College Dropout, when he was trying to figure out his own life and career path.